


Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

by eggsmonday



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-14
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:15:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 107,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26465521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eggsmonday/pseuds/eggsmonday
Summary: A novelization of the game Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc.Note that this is not an AU, but just a retelling of the canon story in prose form, because I wanted to have that kind of a version of it.Also note that this is not beta'd, and written in little pieces, so my weird writing habits may be more noticeable. Sorry if I repeat words too many times or something.This is just for fun of course, and I gain nothing from doing this! No profit is being made off this work.
Kudos: 18





	1. Prologue: Welcome to Despair Academy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few things to note:
> 
> I'll be using a combination of translations from the PS Vita version, the PC port, and [orenronen's original LetsPlay](https://lparchive.org/Dangan-Ronpa/) of it, which is how I first experienced Danganronpa. I'm including some creative liberties, but nothing that will change story or character arcs. It's just things to add to the tension or mystery.
> 
> I'll also be using "Monokuma" rather than "Monobear" because it preserves the pun in his name better (モノクマ is pronounced very similarly to モノクローム).

_It’s like it stands at the center of the entire world,_ I thought, and stared up at the massive high school. It towered over all the other buildings in the bustling urban area: Hope’s Peak Private Academy.

Each year, Hope’s Peak brings in top students from every field imaginable--a tradition that’s centuries old. It’s a government-funded school of privilege; I’ve heard people say that anyone who manages to graduate will be set for life. It was built to raise hope for the nation’s future, which makes “Hope’s Peak” a pretty fitting name.

Aside from pre-arranged status as a high school student in Japan, there’s one thing necessary for a person to qualify for attendance: having a Super High School Level talent. The only way in is through the Talent Scouts, who are trained to recognize and recruit teenagers with Ultimate skill.

I looked up a Hope’s Peak Academy thread online and read about some of the students who are attending the academy this year, and they’re all truly impressive. For example, one incoming freshman is the lead singer of a pop band famous all over Japan. Maizono Sayaka, the Super High School Level Idol, is a role model for young girls everywhere due to her beauty, enamoring presence, and squeaky-clean public appearance. 

She’s not the only one who’s a public figure either; celebrities like Enoshima Junko, athletes like Kuwata Leon or Asahina Aoi, and even dangerous criminals like Owada Mondo are going to be there. There’s also people whose skills are only well-known to certain niche groups, like the Super High School Level Programmer, Doujin Artist, Gambler, and Clairvoyant, who are all said to be some of 2010’s new group of freshmen.

And early one morning, there I was, standing at the gate of the Ultimate school filled with Super High School Level students. 

I’m Naegi Makoto, and my enrollment was a little different from the other kids who’ll be in my class. See, I’m nothing more than an average teenager. Average on the inside, average on the outside. I really don’t have anything going for me when it comes to special abilities or things like that. Like, I’m not a psychic or a genius or a superhero or something. Even my interests are pretty dull; if someone asked me what my favorite song or manga or TV show was, it’d just be whatever’s popular at the moment. It’s not that I’m trying to be like everyone else or anything; that’s just who I am. I guess if I had to name one of my “strengths,” I’d say I’m a little more optimistic than other people, but otherwise I’m a totally ordinary kid.

And yet I was scouted for Hope’s Peak. But it wasn’t because I’m truly a Super High School Level student, and I really don’t belong in a group that’s so talented. _They_ ’re the country’s finest, and I kinda feel like a tame little housecat who somehow wandered into a pride of lions. 

That's because I got invited by pure dumb luck.

_To Mr Naegi Makoto:_ _  
_ _Each year, we hold a lottery to select one ordinary high school student to attend our school, Hope’s Peak Private Academy. Your name has been pulled, and so we invite you to join us as this year’s Ultimate Lucky Student. Enclosed is an orientation guide. We hope to see you this March._

 _Signed,_ _  
_ _Kizakura Koichi_ _  
_ _Hope’s Peak Academy Talent Scout_

Honestly, I probably would’ve been better off just declining their offer, but for someone like me, a school that guarantees success later in life is kind of a miracle, so I couldn’t say no. I heard that last year’s Lucky Student tried to decline, and somehow still ended up attending, so it probably wouldn’t have worked for me either anyway.

So there I stood in front of the gates at 7 o’clock am, on orientation day, ready to pledge the next two years of my life to the most prestigious school in all of Japan and hopefully make something of myself.

 _I’m starting to feel lost here… But I guess I can’t stand in front of the gate forever._ I began to walk toward the entrance hall with a certain determination in my step. I crossed the threshold into a grand room with ornately-patterned columns and shining marble floors. A magnificent clock ticked softly, the only sound audible in the empty hall. I still had nearly an hour before the class-wide orientation at 8 o’clock…

Ah, but the hands started to move! _Oh, no, that’s not right_ , I thought _, it’s not the hands of the clock, it’s the clock itself! The whole room is… moving…_

Everything at the edges of my vision was fuzzy, and my surroundings seemed to be melting into each other. I could feel my feet moving, sense my body lurching across the room in a dizzying fashion, as the world blurred and spun away. I felt like I was falling, but before I could hit the floor, everything went black.

絶望

I woke up slumped over a wooden desk, a line of drool drying under my chin. This wasn’t the first time I’d fallen asleep during a boring lecture, but… this classroom was empty and unfamiliar. I rubbed my bleary eyes, noting a dull ache throughout my whole body. Through the haze, I surveyed my surroundings. Splotchy yellow wallpaper was faded and peeling a little at the corners; the floorboards were made of a soft braided wood; fluorescent lights flickered ominously overhead, giving off a faint buzz. Written on the blackboard was ‘HEY THERE NEW KID! PRETTY SOON, THIS SCHOOL WILL BE YOUR ENTIRE WORLD!’ A wall clock told me that it was 8 am…

 _The orientation!_ I was going to miss it!

I leapt to my feet, and immediately my head began to throb. I swayed back and forth for a moment as my vision swam, a ringing sound piercing my skull. I clutched my head and waited for the room to stop tilting on its axis…

Feeling rather haggard, I recovered from the sensation of vertigo, and decided to take more care. Clearly I had gotten myself so wound up about coming to Hope’s Peak that I had passed out in the entrance hall, and someone had carried me here to this classroom. But… where was that person?

Something caught my attention at that moment: to my left, thick metal plates seemed to have been bolted to the window frames, obscuring any possible view of the outside world. _How strange_ … I glanced nervously at the clock, noting that I was already a few minutes late for orientation, but curiosity won out, and I shuffled over to the wall.

My hand curled into a hesitant fist. I reached out and rapped my knuckles against the plate. _Thick metal. Very solid… I wonder why?_ What reason could there have been for blocking the windows like this?

As I turned back around to face the door of the classroom, I noticed something else: a large and rather obvious security camera on a mechanical arm. _Hmm… I suppose those are to keep the students safe, and make sure nobody breaks any rules… I guess it’s not too odd. Still, it makes me kind of uncomfortable to think I’m being watched like that._

I stepped forward towards the door, and my heartrate kicked up a notch as the camera tracked my movement, pivoting on its arm to observe my exit. I hastily left the room, feeling my skin crawl as I pushed on the heavy oaken door. _Someone is definitely watching me right now…_

I headed out into the hallway, intending to make my way back to the entrance hall. Somehow, even the corridor was creepy. Purplish light cast an eerie glow over the chessboard floor tiles, but it wasn’t strong enough to illuminate every corner of the room, so certain places were bathed in inky shadow. I could tell the ceiling wasn’t higher than an average ceiling, yet it was so obscured by darkness that I couldn’t quite make it out. Several thick wooden doors to various classrooms, all labeled, reflected back the glossy shine of the muted light. The hall was empty and cavernous; as I stepped forward, my footsteps echoed back to me.

_The strangeness of this place just keeps increasing…_

Across the hall from me and to the left was a passage with a sign out front that read ‘Despair Hotel.’ _Hotel_ , I mused. _If this really is Hope’s Peak, that must be the dormitory._ But I didn’t have time to go exploring--not if I wanted to catch the end of the orientation meeting. So I turned away from the hotel and looked towards the next area.

Something in that moment stopped me in my tracks. I don’t know exactly what it was. I can’t really put a name to it. But when my gaze skipped past the way forward and instead landed on massive red double doors at the end of a branching passage, something made my throat go dry. I was frozen in place, paralyzed by a feeling of sudden and overwhelming dread. _Why? Why do those doors radiate such a terrifying and potent malice? What evil could possibly be behind them?_

It took me a few seconds to find my determination again. I still felt sick to my stomach standing there, several meters away and yet far too close to those impossibly menacing doors. With great effort, I managed to tear my eyes away from them, and slowly began to turn the corner, my limbs heavy and spastic like they didn’t want to obey me. As soon as the doors were out of sight, relief washed over me, and my posture straightened out like a weight had been removed. Still, a seedling of unease had been planted when I woke in that empty classroom, and by now it had taken root and begun to grow.

I walked quickly down the hallway now, eager to put whatever that red room was behind me, and the dim ambient lighting shifted from purple to green as I entered an intersection with a square-shaped bench in its center. On the wall to my left was what appeared to be a school shop of some kind; the path continued directly in front of me, presumably further into the school; and to my right was my destination: the entrance hall. I recognized the doors from earlier that morning, although I was now seeing them from the other side. Beyond them would be the marble tiles and regal columns of the school’s main hall.

Brushing aside the worries that had been clinging to my heart, I shoved the doors open with no preamble and stepped into the room as confidently as I could. And inside…

Fourteen pairs of eyes turned to look at me as I entered, and I felt a thrill run through me as I realized that these fourteen people were to be my classmates. Here they were, the Ultimate students hand-picked to attend the Ultimate school. It’s probably an exaggeration to say that they all exuded a sort of special aura… but I truly felt like I was in the presence of something great. The hope for the nation’s future, as the saying goes.

And behind them… Instead of the arching glass doors leading to the sunshine of the world beyond, there was a huge metal vault door. The massive turnstyle loomed like a mountain. _Are we locked inside?_

“Hey,” said a dark-skinned guy with a large and bushy head of hair, “are you also a new student?”

“Yeah. Are you guys my…?”

“Classmates,” confirmed a petite brunette, large hazel eyes shining. “We’re all new students who’re supposed to start school here at Hope’s Peak today.”

“The new guy makes fifteen,” said a nasally-voiced boy. “I wonder if this is all of us…?”

“Um,” I said hesitantly. “Nice to meet you. I’m Naegi Makoto. I’m not exactly sure what happened, but… I was here earlier, and then I passed out and woke up somewhere else in the school.”

“Huh? You too?” asked the bushy-haired guy.

To my surprise, the next person who spoke did so with a strange and unfamiliar accent. “Things just keep getting curiouser and curiouser, do they not?”

“Beyond a shadow of a doubt,” said the nasally-voiced boy, tapping thick fingers against a large flabby chin. “This is without exaggeration an incredibly abnormal occurrence!”

“Nevertheless, Naegi-kun! Tardiness will not be tolerated! You must have known the meeting was to start at 8 o’clock sharp!” This voice came from a rigid-looking boy in a crisp white uniform. I noted that an armband on his uniform read _Disciplinary Committee_. He continued: “Being late on the first day of school is outrageous! I will be reporting this to the school officials.”

A few voices overlapped each other as some of the other students came to my defence, but a bubbly girl in athletic attire spoke above the rest. “We should all introduce ourselves properly! I bet he’d like to know our names!”

“Introductions? This ain’t the fucking time!” growled a burly-looking guy in a trench coat. _I recognize him from the news,_ I thought nervously. _That’s that criminal, Owada Mondo… I can’t believe someone like him would get invited to a private academy like this… Well, I guess I shouldn’t judge a talented person like that too much._

_We have other pressing issues at hand, but first we ought to introduce ourselves… Now is my chance. I already looked up some information about my classmates, but now I get to see what they’re really like._

“Let’s introduce ourselves first,” said a melodious and chirrupy voice. “Then we can figure out what’s going on.”

“Ah--!” I let out an exclamation of surprise unintentionally. Luckily, it didn’t draw any stares, as people were starting to turn away from me and towards each other to begin introductions. Of course they’d all immediately follow her instructions… she’s just that charismatic. Maizono Sayaka, the Ultimate Idol, smiled brightly at me as she made her way through the crowd.

“Hello, Naegi-kun,” she said to me, and her cheerfulness was like a balm to my nerves. She smelled pleasant too, like fresh berries. “My name is Maizono Sayaka. It’s a pleasure to see you!”

_A pleasure to see me… Does she remember me?_

Well, even if she didn’t remember me, there was no way I could forget about someone like her. She’s famous all over the country, a popular performer of the stage and screen. My little sister’s bedroom is plastered with posters of the Ultimate Idol.

But putting that aside, the more I looked at her the prettier she became. Her hair was long and straight, and it matched the dark blue collar of her pastel-pink uniform. A faint blush dusted her cheeks, and her skin was smooth and flawless. _She’s almost like a doll_.

“I’m very much alive,” she said, interrupting my train of thought. “Definitely not a doll!”

“Huh!? How did you know I was thinking that?”

Suddenly, her face became very serious, and she said with great intensity, “I’m a mind-reader.”

“What!”

At my shock, her face broke into a smile, and she laughed, a sound like bells.

“I’m kidding! I’m just pretty perceptive.”

_She’s a sharp one…_

“Say, Naegi-kun,” she mused, “you said your first name is Makoto, right? Did you possibly happen to--”

“Hey!” barked the Disciplinary Committee Member. “Your conversation is too long! Are you planning on spending all day on these self-introductions!? Introductions should be short and to the point! Small talk has its time and place, and right now isn’t it!”

“I understand…” Maizono said. “I’m sorry, Naegi-kun. I’ll talk to you later…” She walked off, looking a bit put out.

 _Maizono-san_ _… she wanted to say something to me… But it’s not like this is the last time we’ll have a chance to talk. As she said, we can talk later._

_I guess I’ll continue by talking to the Disciplinary Committee guy, since he’s right here anyway._

I turned to him, and he seemed to anticipate what I was about to do, because he interrupted me: “My name is Ishimaru Kiyotaka! My motto in life is ‘simplicity and fortitude!’ Let’s all work together on our educational crusade.” He didn’t smile as he said it, but as loud and brash as he was, he didn’t seem unfriendly.

Ishimaru Kiyotaka… I’d read about him. He was a model high schooler, with a spotless record and perfect grades. He served in his community’s Disciplinary Committee and earned a reputation for being an upstanding citizen. His title was officially the Super High School Level Moral Compass, but… I’d seen people online tease him by calling him the Ultimate Hall Monitor. _He sure does seem like he’s a stickler for certain things…_

“Naegi Makoto was your name, correct? What a magnificent name! You should thank your parents for it! And with such a noble name, I expect you to act accordingly, and live up to the expectations that come with it! I’ll be expecting no further tomfoolery from you!”

 _What a tiresome guy,_ I thought. _I didn’t get a single word in!_

As he walked away, I managed to catch Maizono’s eye, and the corners of her mouth quirked up a little. Her eyes sparkled with mischief, and I wondered if she knew again what I was thinking.

“H-hey, you,” stuttered a dry and sullen voice. “Y-you’ll probably just forget it s-soon anyway, but… my name is Fukawa Touko.”

“Fukawa Touko…” I echoed, tilting my head thoughtfully and looking up at her. A plain-faced girl, with overly large round glasses that seemed to be in danger of slipping down her nose. She had a slouchy posture, and her hands were tight to her chest as she wrung them anxiously.

_I’ve read about her, too. The Super High School Level Author… She wrote a romance novel when she was 10 that became the talk of the literary community, and two years ago, she published what’s said to be her masterpiece… Despite her age, she’s won several literary awards and managed to stay a constant fixture on the bestseller list. She’s definitely worthy of her title…_

Fukawa was a little different from what I pictured, though. Since she’d written so many romance novels, I was expecting a princess-type girl, with subtly beautiful features and an airy affectionate tone. But this girl seemed sweaty and socially awkward; her hair was stringy and sticking out from her twin-tail braids, as if she had put it up several days ago and not bothered to fix it since.

“Wh-what do you want? Why are you st-staring at my face? Stop it…” As she said this, her fingers twitched and jerked, and she wore an expression somewhere between a smirk and a grimace. Her cheeks had gone scarlet, and before I could respond, that strange half-smile morphed fully into a snarl and she snapped, “Quit l-looking at me like I’m some f-f-filthy thing you sc-scraped off the bot-bottom of your sh-sh-shoe!”

“What? I didn’t say that! I don’t think you’re filthy…!”

“You didn’t have to say it!” she shrieked, and I winced as several people craned their necks around to look at us, or averted their eyes and pretended not to hear. “I kn-know what y-you’re thinking! You’re thinking you’ve never seen such an ug-g-gly girl in your l-life! Y-you’re l-laughing at me!”

“N-No! I’d never…!”

“It’s no use trying to trick me. If it wasn’t t-true… You’d have no reason to be l-looking at my f-f-face! Wh-whatever… I’m used to it…” She dropped her arms and skulked away, shooting murderous glances my way every so often.

_Wow… I was way off about what she’d be like. What a huge persecution complex!_

“Hey, Naegi-kun, just ignore her. You shouldn’t take people like that seriously…” I turned to look at the girl who’d spoken, and suddenly felt nearly as starstruck as I had when talking to Maizono. This girl’s strawberry blonde hair was tied in twintails, and it was full of clips and bows and other accessories. Even if I’d never heard of her before, I’d know she’s a gyaru, a member of a particular fashion subculture. But everyone’s heard of this one, and she was even wearing her signature outfit! Honestly, I might not have recognized her without it, since she looked a little different from her pictures.

“Yoo-hoo!” she giggled, and smiled widely, which made her face seem quite a lot sharper at the edges. “Enoshima Junko! Charmed, I’m sure,” she said, and batted her eyes at me. The Super High School Level Fashionista…

“You give a different impression in real life,” I said thoughtfully.

“Huh? You mean my magazine cover shots?” She twirled a lock of pinkish hair around one finger, which I noted was long and sharp, polished in acrylic red. The skin of her hands was so clear I almost wondered if she put makeup on them. She said, “Those photos were obviously super duper exaggerated, y’know?”

“Exaggerated…?”

“Yep! Photoshopped, you know? Edited to hell and back with computer software ‘nd junk. Sells better that way!”

“You do look like you have more freckles than in the magazines,” I agreed.

“Don’t act so shocked,” she said, looking perturbed. “Everyone’s doing it! I mean, if you think _I’m_ getting away with altering my appearance, you should be _really_ upset with a certain dangerous singing diva…! They make her eyes really big and her skin look like porcelain… It’s almost unfair to the rest of us, y’know?”

“Is… Is that so…?”

_I feel like all my dreams have been shattered…_

Looking around for someone else to talk to, it was with dismay that I realized there was only one person who wasn’t already in conversation. I didn’t need to ask his name; I recognized him easily from the mugshots I’d seen on television. Owada Mondo, the leader of the Crazy Diamonds, an infamous biker gang that has wreaked havoc in the streets of urban Japan for years. He scanned the crowd around him, shifty eyes painted in heavy dripping mascara. Finally his gaze rested on me, and I fidgeted nervously as he approached. _Why him? Why isn’t someone else available?_

“Hey,” he said gruffly, scratching the back of his neck. The high popped collar of his trench coat wobbled precariously as he did so, and his enormous pompadour almost looked like it was in danger of deflating, in spite of the copious amounts of hair gel that seemed to be struggling to hold it up. “Name’s Owada Mondo. Nice to meet ya.”

_Punks everywhere fear and respect this guy. I’d better be careful what I say to someone with a title like Super High School Level Biker Gang Leader._

“Um… I’m also… pleased to make your acquaintance.”

“Sure,” he said, averting his eyes, and ambled away to talk to someone else. _Phew… I survived the encounter._

“‘Sup!” said a cheerful voice, and I turned to meet the bubbly girl whose voice had earlier broken through the overlapping chatter. “Good morning! I’m Asahina Aoi! Nice t’meet you!”

“Ah… Asahina… That’s right,” I said, nodding. “I’ve read about you.”

Asahina Aoi has broken records in every swimming competition she’s participated in since middle school. She was even recently chosen as an Olympic cadet. A Super High School Level Swimmer. She has perfect strength, physique, and talent to boot. People often make a big fuss about her on the net, but it’s just as often about her appearance as it is about her accomplishments.

Looking a little puzzled, she said, “Um, what was your name again? Sorry, I forgot.”

“It’s Naegi Makoto.”

“Right, right! I knew it was something like that!”

“It wasn’t _something like that_ , it was _exactly_ like that.”

“Sure, sure! I got it now. I won’t forget again, I promise. Naegi… Makoto… Naegi… Makoto…” As she repeated my name, she was moving her finger across the palm of her hand as if writing something.

“Uh, what are you doing?”

“What, you’ve never seen this trick before? If you want to remember someone’s name, all you gotta do is write it on your hand three times!”

“Hmm, I’ve never heard of that.”

“Hey, what characters do you spell ‘Naegi’ with?”

“Um, it’s spelled exactly like the word…”

“...Right. I can’t remember how it’s written, but I’ll check a dictionary later! Anyway, it’s really nice meeting you!”

“Y...yeah. You too…” _She’s a little ditzy, but she seems to be a positive person with an endless supply of energy._

Asahina walked off to speak to someone else, leaving me to introduce myself to the mousy-looking girl with the large hazel eyes, whose skirt was so poofy I wondered if she was wearing a petticoat. _She’s so small… she’s the only person here shorter than me… Can’t be more than 150 centimeters!_

“How do you do? My name is… Fujisaki Chihiro… I’m not really good at self-introductions… They make me a little nervous, but still… I hope we can get along…!” She blushed a little, fiddling with the black ribbon at her collar-- _a nervous habit_ , I guessed. _What a polite manner of speaking… Very formal. Somehow, her voice doesn’t quite match her appearance. Something higher-pitched would suit her more. Still, she’s very cute._

“Right back at you. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Fujisaki-san.”

Her eyes widened, and she clasped her hands together in surprise. “Eh? I’m probably just imagining things, but… Have we ever met somewhere before this, Naegi-kun?”

“Um, nope. I don’t think we’ve ever seen each other before right now. That’s why I said, ‘it’s nice to meet you.’”

“Ah, I see. Sorry…” To my shock, she tilted her head towards the ground, eyes screwed shut as if she was trying not to cry.

“You--you don’t have to apologize, you know!”

“Um… right…”

Fujisaki Chihiro. The genius programmer behind numerous innovative software, often called the Super High School Level Programmer. I’ve heard a lot about the ground-breaking programs she’s created, and there’s even a rumor that she’s been contracted by the national government to make something for them. I remembered reading that she’s popular among the software developers on the internet, and the fact that she looks like a small frightened animal has earned her a protective and dedicated fanbase. Out of all of us, I wouldn’t be surprised if she was the most intelligent.

“Uh… uhh… I’m… really sorry,” she said again, still teary-eyed.

“Why are you apologizing again?” I queried, concerned.

“It’s just… You look upset. Are you angry with me?”

“Huh? No, no! I was just lost in thought, thinking about something else!”

“Eh? Just thinking…?”

“Right! I’m not displeased at all!” I laughed nervously, and gave her a sheepish smile.

“Oh, good! I thought maybe you didn’t like me… Hehe… I’m relieved!” She blushed again, smiling, and I was reminded a little of a tiny puppy or maybe a kitten.

_I think maybe I’m starting to understand those rabid fans of hers…_

“Um… I suppose I’m going to go introduce myself to someone else now… but I’m happy to meet you!”

“Likewise,” I said, and she wandered away in the direction of Owada.

“Isn’t she adorable?” the nasally-voiced boy said to me, nodding in the direction of Fujisaki.

“Um, yeah, I guess so… Who are you?”

“My name,” he said with a great air of importance, puffing out his chest and placing each fist on his hips, “is Yamada Hifumi! The man who is the beginning and the end! The alpha and the omega! You can call me any of those things, I don’t mind!”

_I think I’ll just stick with his name._

“Alright,” I said, looking him up and down. The self-proclaimed alpha and omega was only a little taller than me, and quite fat. An orange backpack was slung over his shoulders, and a pair of small glasses was bending at its frame to accommodate his rather wide head. His hair seemed to be just as heavily-gelled as Owada’s, but not with half the success; instead, it only managed to plaster the curly brown hair to his face, making it look like he was constantly wet. “What was your talent, Yamada-kun?” I asked, trying to remember.

“I am a mangaka!” he said proudly, and that jogged my memory enough.

“Oh, right! You’re the Ultimate Doujin Artist, right?”

“That’s correct! By the way, are you one with the ways of 2D relationships, Naegi Makoto-dono?”

 _What an odd honorific... And he used my full name, too… So formal. This guy must be trying to live out some kind of otaku_ _fantasy… Well, I guess that would be expected of a doujin artist or an amateur mangaka._

“Er… 2D?” I replied curiously, a little hesitant.

“It is in that field that I became known as the Ultimate Doujin Artist! Hehe. It’s already a legendary story: I once sold ten thousand copies of my work at a culture festival! Some idiot classmates who don’t understand my genius thought I’d taint the event, but I sure showed them!”

_As much as I feel sympathy for those classmates of his, I must admit that ten thousand copies is impressive._

He continued: “I am like Van Gogh. Utterly unappreciated in my time! I am a warrior, fighting day and night to rid this world of preconceived ideas about doujinshi! Naegi Makoto-dono, I’m sure that you too will come to see the light, just by casting eyes upon my work! You see, my doujin is imbued with the deepest of themes and meanings…”

“What… what theme could that be?”

“The benefits of being young and healthy… and embracing your innermost desires, if you know what I mean.” 

_I don’t think I want to know_ , I thought as I walked away.

Spotting a girl standing alone a little distance away from everyone else, I made my way over to her. She didn’t make eye contact as I got nearer, her arms folded over her chest in a rather closed-off manner. Her long silver hair was mostly loose, but one strand was tied with black ribbon into a slender braid near her temple. She wore a leather jacket and a tie, and her hands were covered by studded gloves. _How mysterious…_

I stopped in front of her and smiled. Her body didn’t move, but her eyes did as she slid her gaze over to me. They flickered briefly as she looked me up and down, and then she averted them again. _Her body is so still and reserved…_

After a rather long silence, I gently prompted, “Um, can you tell me your name?”

There was another brief pause before she finally turned her head towards me and said, “My name is Kirigiri Kyouko.”

_Kirigiri Kyouko… I don’t remember reading about her online at all. Even someone like me is listed on the academy’s registry as the Ultimate Lucky Student, but… I don’t recall seeing anything about her. And I can’t really think of a guess. I suppose I’d better ask._

“So, why did you come to this school?”

“What do you mean by ‘why?’” she demanded, voice quiet but hard.

“Well, you must have some kind of Super High School Level talent, right? So what Ultimate talent do you have?”

She stared at me with intense lavender eyes for several beats, before finally closing those eyes and looking away. “Why should I tell you? Why would I have to?”

 _Huh?_ “Well, I guess you don’t _have_ to tell me…”

“You’re right. I don’t have to, so I think I won’t.”

She looked at me again, out of the corner of her eyes still, and her face was like an iron mask. I knew that if she didn’t want to tell me, there was no way I’d be able to pry the information out of her. I awkwardly turned away, feeling a bit off-put.

“She’s kinda weird, isn’t she,” said a guy, elbowing me in the ribs a little as he fell into step beside me.

“Um, I guess so. Kinda secretive.”

“Yeah, pretty much! I don’t really get people like that, y’know? I’m an open book! Yo, the name’s Kuwata Leon, by the way! Nice to meetcha!” He winked and grinned, and his body seemed to vibrate with frenetic energy. 

I did a double-take. _This is Kuwata Leon?!_ The kid before me looked nothing like the pictures I’d seen. Photos of an athletic young man with a shaved head, hitting a perfect home run… But this guy had a head of shaggy hair, vibrant red, and a small goatee tied like a ponytail. His ears were full of piercings, lots of little silver rings and chunky studs. His lower lip was pierced too, and when he opened his mouth wide to speak, I saw that even his _tongue_ had a metal stud. His hands were adorned with many rings, and he waved them around as he spoke animatedly. There was a decorative chain around his neck as well.

Kuwata Leon was the ace fourth batter of the country’s top-ranking high school baseball team. A Super High School Level Baseball Player, who’s even been noticed by the professional leagues. And that top-level athlete is…

“You? Really?”

“Eh?” he said, looking suddenly reticent. “What’s up? I suppose… you were expecting the Marokume kid, huh? That’s what you were imagining.”

“No, no, I was just imagining… someone more sportsmanlike, I guess. I saw a picture of you online that--”

“Aw man, you saw that picture? Seriously? I hate that picture! It’s so lame.” He cringed visibly, shaking his head. “That’s totally the worst. It wasn’t my choice to look like that, you know! The shaved head is part of baseball regulations! But I’m never gonna shave my head again, and I’m not gonna dye it back to normal either! Now that I’m here at Hope’s Peak, I’m set for life anyway, so I don’t have to go back to baseball! I’ve quit the sport for good. I’ve got my own dream for the future!”

“Eh!? You quit baseball!?”

“Yeah. Can I be totally honest with you? See, I don’t like baseball. Like, at all. I never went to a single practice.”

_He never practiced, and yet he’s still so talented? He’s a prodigy…_

“But that’s why I’m here, y’know!? Now that I’m at Hope’s Peak, I don’t have to do any more baseball, and I can pursue my true passion!”

“Your true passion?”

“Yup! My real goal is getting into music,” he said, winking again and poking his tongue out between his teeth. He ran a hand through that shaggy red hair. “You can feel that star-quality aura I’ve got right? I’m gonna be a vocalist! All I need is a few people who can play instruments, and then I’ll be unstoppable! Rockstardom, here I come!”

_Not exactly what you’d expect from an Ultimate Baseball Player… I wonder if the leagues will let him out so easily. Still, I’d better not bring that up._

“Well, Kuwata-kun, that sounds great!”

“Thanks, man! Chasing your dreams is, like, super cool to the max!” He gave me a thumbs up as we parted ways.

Suddenly, someone’s hand was on my shoulder, shaking me a little. “Eh…?”

“Hey, man,” a hoarse voice whispered, and I recognized it as belonging to the guy with the bushy hair. “Can we talk real quick?” He seemed nervous, but was trying to go for an unaffected tone.

“Um, sure?” I said quizzically, and allowed him to steer me away from the group.

“Thanks,” he said, and breathed a sigh of relief. “The Ogre seemed like she wanted to talk to me… How terrifying! Anyway, you’re Naegi-chi, the lucky guy, eh?” He stood back and smiled, arms folded casually. His clothes were baggy and full of holes, and he wore sandals. He had a slight odor and his face was a little unkempt too, with whiskers that he must’ve missed while shaving. _He doesn’t look like a high schooler…_

“Um, yes, that’s me,” I agreed. “And you are…?”

“Hagakure Yasuhiro! Let’s take it easy, eh?”

_Hagakure Yasuhiro… The Super High School Level Clairvoyant. This Ultimate Fortune-Teller was crowned a rising star of the mystic world. To tell the truth, that kinda stuff doesn’t really impress me, but… I wonder what kind of success rate he has._

“Ah… That’s pretty troublesome, eh?” he said, rubbing his chin in thought and closing one eye.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’ve seen it. I’m saying I can really see it…”

“See what?”

With an air of triumph, he grinned widely at me and gestured for emphasis. “A guardian spirit with a perm, chasing a sasquatch who had been cursed by a sky fish! And that guardian spirit… is _your_ guardian spirit!” He laughed loudly, but before I could express my bewilderment, he said, “Just kiddin’! Anyway, let’s go for a drink sometime! I’ll tell you all about the lost Lemurian culture, eh?”

“Um… We can’t drink, we’re in high school.”

“Oh, yeah, I’m actually 20. All sortsa things happened and I got held back three grades.”

_Three grades…!? What could’ve possibly happened…?_

“Ahh, here comes the Ogre!” he hissed suddenly, looking wild-eyed.

Turning, I spotted a huge muscle-bound person walking towards us. I couldn’t help but stare at the huge pale scars that marked the tanned and ruddy brown skin of the Ogre’s face… I knew who this was. The Super High School Level Grappler… a wrestler who’s competed in competitions all over the world, and won every single one. I noticed that the sleeves of the Ogre’s uniform were torn off to show the flexing and rippling muscle, and the scars…

The Ogre, whose huge body cast a shadow over my comparatively small frame, spoke with a low gravelly voice--almost a growl. “Hello. I am Ogami Sakura. Pleased to meet you.”

 _Sakura… What a pretty, dainty name_ _. It doesn’t really fit such a huge and scary-looking woman. I’m barely chest-height to her._

“Um… hey… Oh, Hagakure-kun, did you want to introduce yourself…?” Turning to face him, I realized that he had scrambled away and was trying to look busy elsewhere. “Um.” I looked back at Ogami. _If I didn’t know better, I’d have thought she was a man wearing a girl’s school uniform… But the day I say something like that out loud is the day I get turned into a human meatball._

Online, they’d said that anyone who values their life should steer clear of Ogami. They even say that she’s the fabled Missing Link, the closest living relative to the neanderthals. But looking at her, I felt a little ashamed that I’d been calling her ‘Ogre’ in my head. It really was a cruel nickname… _I ought to treat her with more respect than that. Still, the warnings to stay away from her might not have been an exaggeration. She could easily beat me to a pulp._

“It’s nice to meet you, Ogami-san,” I said, and tried my best to smile without looking like I was afraid of her.

“Hmm… You,” she said, narrowing her eyes and poking lightly at my body.

“Eh!? Yes!?” I straightened my back without thinking.

“Hmm… Your muscular quality appears to be mediocre,” she observed, and retracted her arm. “Unfortunate. You are not fit to be a sparring partner.”

_I’m not so sure that’s unfortunate for me._

“Please excuse me,” she said. “I believe I still have some introductions to make… Hopefully he will cease fleeing…” I almost felt a little bad for her as she lumbered after Hagakure. It must be lonely to be avoided like that.

 _Alright,_ I thought, _only two more people to meet._ I looked back and forth between the two of them, trying to decide which seemed more approachable. Neither looked particularly friendly, but I ended up choosing the girl, who had earlier spoken with a very unfamiliar and unique accent. _Curiouser and curiouser_ , she had said, and as I surveyed her gothic lolita outfit and her black hair drills, I found myself thinking that _she_ was as strange as anything else around here.

As I cautiously approached her, her ruby-painted lips turned upward in a small smile, but she did not show her teeth. “Delighted to make your acquaintance. I am Celestia Ludenberg.”

“Celestia… Luden… Huh?”

“Celestia Ludenberg. It is my name. You may call me Celes if you like.” She folded her hands delicately beneath her chin, still smiling with no teeth. Her irises were a startling bright crimson, just as red as her lipstick.

“Oh, I suppose I do recognize your name. I just wasn’t sure how to pronounce it. Um… Are you Japanese?” I asked her. “You sure have a strange accent…”

“I am Japanese, yes. However, I have lived mostly in France and Germany.”

“France, huh…” I decided that made sense. Her accent did sound European enough. “So, if you’re Japanese… Can you please tell me your real name?”

“Hmhmhm,” she said, a humming sort of laugh. “No, I don’t think so, and I do beg your pardon. Celestia Ludenberg is the name I go by. But as I said, you may call me Celes if you prefer.”

Her speech was polite, but it had an undercurrent of power, and I knew that I’d be in trouble if I tried to argue. Anyway, she definitely seemed to match the description of her I’d read online. She was exactly like the rumors. Taking the alias Celestia Ludenberg, she’s the Super High School Level Gambler, a girl who doesn’t know what it means to lose. Everything about her is wrapped in a veil of mystery, and it’s never clear what about her is the truth. There are those who call her the Queen of Liars… It’s said that she has ruined countless men and women who have dared challenge her to a game, so prodigious in her field that it was practically robbery. They say she’d take people’s entire life savings and laugh as she did it.

_Her smile and tone of voice are beyond deceptive. I’d better watch my back around her, and my wallet too._

There was one more student left for me to meet, so I made my way over to him. He was just as closed off as Kirigiri, the girl who’d refused to tell me her talent, and his posture practically dared me to take another step. But I really had no choice, so in spite of the hostility he exuded, I walked up.

“I’m Togami Byakuya,” he said, sighing and sounding rather exasperated by my presence.

_Oh, that’s him. The Super High School Level Heir… The Ultimate Affluent Progeny. His parents are worth billions of dollars… But he still earned his talent by trading stocks. Born with a silver spoon in his mouth, and now he’s here. He’s really different from all the rest._

“Nice to meet you,” I said, though he didn’t reply.

_I’ve never heard such a half-assed introduction in my life. He’s not speaking anymore. But I guess I understand that. Thanks to his position with the Togami Conglomerate, he’s been a member of the financial elite for many years. He’s attended all the fanciest private schools._

“My introduction is finished,” he said pointedly, glaring down his sharp nose at me, glasses flashing. “How long do you plan on standing there? You’re an eyesore. Go away.”

Startled by his rudeness, I obeyed mindlessly. _He looks at me like he’s above it all… Like a king in training._

 _Well, that’s it. I’ve met everyone now._ It seemed to me that all the introductions had been made, as the class had lapsed into silence.

Ishimaru opened his mouth to say something--likely to give us a command, or perhaps tell us off for something, as a Disciplinary Committee Member was wont to do--but he was interrupted by the sound of a four-note chime.

A crackling static noise pulled our collective attention to a television monitor mounted on a wall, near another of those mobile security cameras.

“Ahem! Ahem!” cried a voice through the monitor. It was high-pitched and grating, truly awful on the ears, and it felt completely out of place. Its cheerfulness and pitch were jarring, like hearing someone laugh at the scene of an accident. “Mic check, one-two! This is a test of the school broadcast system! Is this thing on? Can you hear me?”

“What the hell is _that_?” Enoshima demanded, recoiling.

“Would all students please make their way to the gymnasium for the entrance ceremony! That is all!”

“Ugh, what…?” Enoshima muttered.

“I’m going on ahead,” Togami announced, and left the hall, true to his word.

“Hey, where are you going…!”

“Ah, off to the gym… I knew there would be an entrance ceremony! Let’s go.”

“Ah, wait for me, please…!”

“N-not that anyone c-c-cares, but I’ll go too…”

I watched as many of my peers left the entrance hall to head to the gym, but I stood there without moving. That seedling of unease was budding, petals of anxiety brushing softly against my skin, making me jump and twitch. And it seemed that I wasn’t the only one who was troubled…

“Is it… really alright…?” Maizono said.

“Pretty weird, I’d say,” Enoshima agreed.

“Still,” an icy voice spoke up, and I turned to see that Kirigiri was making her way toward the door, further into the school, her gloved hands folded up against her arms. “We can’t expect to avoid danger just by staying here. Besides, aren’t you the least bit intrigued…?” With that, she exited the room.

“If we do not go forth, we may never know what is happening here,” Ogami agreed.

It certainly looked like the girls were right, but I couldn’t shake that sense of unease. Still, there was nothing else to do but go. As I fell into step behind Kirigiri and Ogami, I heard Owada mutter somewhere behind me, “Shit, man, what the fuck is going on…?” While I’m not really one for colorful language, I found myself wondering something similar. 

Yamada’s voice followed me as we all trudged down the eerily-lit hall together: “Is everything alright…? Everything is alright… Right?”

Shortly, we all marched through a set of double doors and into the gym’s adjoining trophy room, which was lined with statuettes, awards, and even a sword.

“I didn’t think this place would be so goddamned depressing,” Owada griped. “‘S worse than prison…”

“Why isn’t there anyone else around? When we walked through just now, I didn’t see a single soul,” Maizono mumbled.

“Well, it’s not like I’m scared of whatever’s going on here,” Owada insisted to nobody in particular. “In fact, where are the bastards who are trying to trick us like this? I oughta give ‘em a piece of my mind!” With that, he began to charge through the doors and into the gym.

Ishimaru shouted after him, “Hey, Owada-kun! No running in the school!”

_I totally get why people online called him a Hall Monitor…_

“Where are all our classmates?” Maizono wondered aloud.

Beside her, Enoshima seemed to agree, though she didn’t look at Maizono. “The atmosphere in this place is seriously wrong, y’know?”

As the others started to shuffle around and move into the gym, I noticed that there was one person who seemed entirely calm: Kirigiri. She was completely silent. Was she not worried at all? Or maybe I was just imagining that stoicism…

Engulfed in a sense of unease, I followed the rest through the trophy room and into the gymnasium proper. I was surprised to find that it looked like a perfectly ordinary entrance ceremony; there were rows of folding chairs arranged on a simple square carpet, and a podium had been set up on the central stage. The school crest, emblazoned on a bold red flag, hung quite still and stiff in the gym’s lack of breeze.

“See, it’s just like a regular ol’ opening ceremony, eh?” Hagakure said, rubbing at his nose and smiling in a rather carefree manner.

But then…

“Ahem! Ahem!”

I couldn’t help but shiver as that strange and high-pitched voice rang out, loud and hair-raising. This time, the unnerving pierce of it didn’t come from the monitors mounted around the school, but instead from within the very room in which we all stood, somewhere out of view but unmistakably near. I craned my neck, eyes wide and stomach churning, as a shadow moved behind the podium setup on the stage.

“Is everyone here? Great! Then it’s time to begin, isn’t it!”

What happened next was nothing short of absurd. The thing that crawled into view didn’t look like something out of a horror manga. It wasn’t made of rotting flesh or brittle bones; it didn’t carry deadly weapons; it didn’t smell of death like a monster should. It was almost comical in appearance, and combined with its voice, it almost seemed like it could be a cartoon character from children’s television. That was, until it turned its face, and I could see both sides of it at the same time.

Its right half was the picture of friendliness, with an amiable close-mouthed smile and a twinkling black button eye. Its white body looked plush and soft, like a toy. Its left half, however, was considerably less friendly. Its coloration was such a deep shade of black that I couldn’t make out a texture; it was just as likely to be metal as it was to be felt or cloth. Instead of an eye, it had a blinking red light stylized in the shape of the school’s crest, a swooping and jagged shape. Its face was split open in a sharp-toothed grin--but just the one half, mouth twisted to accommodate two conflicting expressions.

Fujisaki’s scratchy and hesitant voice came from somewhere a little to my right and in front: “It’s… a teddy bear…?” Even as she said it, she seemed unsure, and something in my brain screamed that _No_ , this was no child’s plaything.

“I’m no teddy bear!” the thing screeched, and I jumped, the voice emanating from an unmoving and disfigured mouth. “I am… Monokuma! I am the headmaster of Hope’s Peak Academy!”

Whatever was happening right before my eyes was unexplainable, and at the center of the storm was that _thing_. The discomfort I’d been sinking into suddenly turned into a bottomless fear.

“Uwaaa! It moved!” cried Yamada.

“Calm down,” snapped Owada. “It’s just being remote-controlled by someone or something.”

“Hey, don’t make it sound like I’m some kind of child’s toy. You’ll sink my feelings deeper than the Mariana Trench… There’s a control system in me that could make NASA green with envy! So I can’t _bear_ to let you say such dream-destroying and hurtful things!”

“‘Bear…?’ Hasn’t that been done to death already?” Celes asked.

“Well, anyway,” Monokuma continued, “let’s move on! Quiet down, quiet down… Stand, and bow! Good morning, you bastards!”

“Good morning!” Ishimaru replied dutifully.

“Now, then! I’d like to begin an opening ceremony that you’ll remember for life!” the black-and-white bear said, in a cheery sing-song voice. “To start, I have a short statement regarding your school life from this moment on… You bastards are most certainly all geniuses filled with overflowing talent. You bring hope to the world! The hope for the nation’s future! And, to preserve and guard that hope…” A shadow seemed to fall over his face, and the red mechanical eye flashed menacingly. “...You will live a communal life here from this point forward. I hope everyone can respect each other and keep order, because you’ll never see the outside world again.”

“Wh-what did it just say…? We’re going to live here… f-f-forever?” Fukawa stammered, eyes wide and her hands clasped over her heart.

“Ah, no worries! We have plenty of budget. You won’t lack for anything! Upupupu!”

“That’s not why we’re worried…” Maizono began.

“We just don’t get what you mean by living here forever,” Enoshima said, her face twisted in displeasure. “It’s just a joke, right?”

“I am most certainly not a liar!” Monokuma shrieked. “I have great pride in that! Ah, I should also let you know… Since you’ll be completely shut out from the outside world, there’s no need to concern yourself with whatever may happen beyond these hallowed walls! The rotten lives of those out there are no longer relevant to you.”

“Shut out…” I mused. “So the steel plates over the windows… Those are to keep us in?”

“That’s right! You should make the most of your life in here, because no matter how much you shout…” Monokuma punctuated his next declaration by flashing three pointed claws at us. “...No help is coming.”

“Er, what is this? This is some kinda bad joke or something, right?” Kuwata said, eyes narrowed and a skeptical smile on his face.

“You… you fucker…” Owada growled at Monokuma, his knuckles popping audibly as he flexed his hands. “Don’t overdo this thing… If the joke doesn’t stop right now…!”

“You know,” Monokuma interrupted, “you keep saying that this is a lie or a joke. It seems you’re still very much doubting me. But I guess that’s natural! We’re living in an age where you can’t survive by trusting your neighbors, after all! In any case, you’ll see soon enough how truthful I am! Monokuma is always one-hundred percent factual!”

“Having to spend the rest of our lives here would prove most troubling,” Celes murmured, her fingertips tented gently in front of her chest.

“You all chose to come here of your own volition, didn’t you? First you want in, now you want out… Make up your damn minds, will you! Don’t tell me you’re planning on taking advantage of the Graduation Clause…”

“The… Graduation Clause?”

“Well, as the school’s new headmaster, I’ve crafted up a special clause for those of you who are truly desperate to leave. You see, since you’re all trying to live together in harmony, a person who attempts to break the order and disrupt that communal lifestyle would be swiftly kicked out!”

“And by ‘break the order,’” Togami said, an eyebrow arched, “you mean…?”  
“Oh, you know,” Monokuma said, giggling. “If someone were to murder another. Upupupupu!”

I couldn’t help it: I gasped out loud. “M-Murder!?”

“Beating, stabbing, clubbing, beheading, burning, suffocating, strangling, slaughtering, voodoo-cursing! How you do it doesn’t matter. Only a student who commits murder is allowed to leave. It’s really a very simple rule. I hope you can all cooperate… And if you can’t, well! Give it your all to achieve the best outcome in the worst way possible.”

A violent chill ran through my whole body, a feeling like someone pouring ice water down my back. My mind was racing at a mile per minute, and yet none of the thoughts that ran through it were comprehensible. Blind emotions, falling over each other, tripping through my consciousness like a herd of panicking animals. I had one thousand questions and one hundred thousand fears, and could put none of them into words.

“Upupupu… That heart-pounding feeling of distress… Beats the heck outta salmon fishing, doesn’t it?! Like I said, you bastards are the hope of the world… Nothing will cause despair quite like seeing that hope get slaughtered!”

“W...What did it say… Killing each other… What the fuck?” Kuwata cried, his voice pitching higher and higher as he spoke.

“Stop it… This joke has gone on long enough…” Yamada mumbled.

“Joke…” Monokuma echoed, his voice deadly soft in a way that made all of us freeze in place. “You keep using that word… ‘Joke…’ How many times do I have to repeat myself? You really are idiots, aren’t you? ‘Let me leave,’ this, ‘It’s a joke,’ that… I keep and keep and keep telling you! This school is your home now! Your world! No limits! It’s an all-you-can-kill buffet! So go for it! Go ahead and go on a kill-kill-killing spree! Ahahahaha!”

“How long is ‘e gonna keep up this act, eh…?”

“I’ve had it. Everyone get the fuck outta my way…” Owada shoved past Hagakure and up to Monokuma, who had climbed down from the podium and now stood on the stage, all of 75 centimeters tall. “You’d better apologize right now, you little shit! Joke’s over!”

“Joke? Are you talking about your hair?” Monokuma asked innocently.

With a roar like thunder, Owada leapt the remaining distance to the stage and grabbed Monokuma by his neck.

“Kyaa!” Monokuma screamed, and began to flail his stubby limbs around like a pinwheel.

“I’ve got you now, fucker,” Owada snarled. “I don’t care if you’re a stuffed toy, or remote-controlled, or what! I’m gonna crush you like a fly!”

“Violence against the headmaster is against the rules,” Monokuma whined, still struggling to escape Owada’s grasp.

“Shut up! I don’t give a--”

Whatever Owada was about to say next was interrupted by a high-pitched beeping noise. The sound emanated from Monokuma himself, growing in volume and frequency by the second. _Beep. Beep. Beep, beep, beep, beepbeepbeep…_

“Throw it!” Kirigiri demanded, her voice more panicked than she had been at any point yet. “Get rid of it! Now!”

Mindlessly obeying, Owada chucked Monokuma into the air with all his might, and as it reached the peak of its arc through the gym--

The force of the explosion sent me stumbling, but I didn’t quite topple. My ears were ringing, and my nose and throat burned with the smell of gunpowder, and my eyes unfocused as the gym was illuminated in a bright flash.

Coughing and wheezing surrounded me, and I eventually managed to swim back into awareness, everything hazy and sluggish.

“Wh…” Owada hacked noisily, squinting against the lingering effects of the explosion. “That wasn’t funny… That thing seriously tried to kill me…”

“Oh, but it’s gone now, right?” Fujisaki said, getting shakily to her feet from where the blast had knocked her down. “The teddy bear is dead?”

“I said I’m not a teddy bear!”

Whipping my head around, I saw that the bear had reappeared somewhere on stage, and looked completely unharmed by the explosion.

“Ah! Another one…?!”

“You murderous piece of shit,” Owada choked out, brushing ash from his elaborate and miraculously intact pompadour.

“Well, I had to punish you,” Monokuma explained. “Can’t have you breaking the rules, now, can I? I’ll let you off with just a warning this time, but next time I will be far less forgiving!”

“How many of you are there?” Enoshima asked, dusting herself off.

“As many as there need to be! More of me can be produced as necessary from within this very school. Additionally, you may have noticed the security cameras in each room and hallway here. Any rule breakers can expect a swift and severe punishment!”

“This is absurd…!” Asahina began.

“Finally, to commemorate your arrival,” Monokuma said, ignoring her, “I’ve gotten each of you a special present! It’s a student identification card, called an e-handbook! Isn’t it neato? It’s very important to your school life, so please be sure not to lose it! And when you boot it up, be sure that the name it displays is your own!” As he said all this, Monokuma was passing out handheld electronic tablets.

Upon being given my own, I turned it on to verify that it was indeed mine. My name flashed at me from the screen: NAEGI MAKOTO.

“Being that these devices are so crucial to your time here,” Monokuma continued, “they’re nearly impossible to break! They’re completely waterproof, and can stand pressure up to ten tonnes! Within them you will find the academy’s rules. Please look them over carefully to ensure that you don’t end up punished over something silly. And of course, enjoy your gruesome school life! Sayonara!” With that, Monokuma disappeared somewhere behind the stage.

“Hey, everyone… how would you define what just happened..?” Ishimaru hedged.

“Live here forever...?” Fukawa was muttering to herself, clutching at her hair, her large round glasses slipping further and further down her nose as she wobbled in place. “K-k-kill…?”

“Everyone.” The next voice that spoke was cool, even, and collected. “Stay calm. For the time being, we should go over what we know. Monokuma said that we have two options here… The first, live a peaceful communal life here forever. And the second…”

“Kill each other,” Celes finished simply.

“K...Killing… There’s no way!” Fujisaki cried out, tears running down her face and her hands clenched tightly.

“It’s all a lie,” Ishimaru said insistently. “It has to be. There’s no way something so ridiculous could be true.”

“This issue isn’t whether or not it’s a lie,” Togami scoffed. “The problem arises from all of us. Specifically, whether one among us will choose to buy into it.”

Hearing that, we all fell silent. Not saying anything, we looked around at one another’s faces. Trying to gauge each other’s thoughts and feelings. Everyone a stranger. That’s when the true source of terror behind Monokuma’s words became evident to me. He had planted in each of our minds the most horrible of thoughts. _Who will betray us?_ that dark demon called paranoia sang.

This was how my new life began. But the school wasn’t the symbol of hope that it was purported to be. Hijacked by a sadistic monster, the Academy of Hope had transformed into an Academy of Despair.

PARTICIPANTS REMAINING: 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few things:
> 
> Orenronen translated Hagakure's Touhoku verbal tic as "'right," but I'm choosing to go with "eh" instead because I think it's less clunky and more accurate.
> 
> Super High School Level (SHSL) and Ultimate are going to be used mostly interchangeably as well.
> 
> If you read this, I hope you enjoyed it! It's just a fun project I'm working on, because I thought that DR would translate pretty nicely into a novel format (once you get past the info-dump in the prologue).
> 
> Please leave a kudos if you enjoyed it, or a comment if you'd like to make my day!


	2. Chapter 1: To Survive (Normal Days)

_You must kill someone if you want to leave._

Those words echoed through my mind on a loop, as if they’d been shouted out into the large empty cavern in my chest, and now bounced around my ribcage unendingly. I had never felt more sick, more afraid, more full of despair. But even so, looking around at the steely faces of fourteen people who could’ve maybe been my friends in another life, I felt my resolve calcify into something like bravery. It took all the strength in my body, but I opened my mouth to say something--anything--that would shatter this unyielding tension.

But I was beaten to the punch.

“So. What would you like to do now? Just stand around and scowl at one another?” Kirigiri’s thorny words pierced us, wrapped around us, and pulled us back to reality.

It was Ishimaru who spoke next: “Of course not! In times of fear and anxiety, one must continue to press onward! How could I have forgotten such a straightforward rule..? Simplicity and fortitude, remember! I am a fool for letting fear get the better of me, even for an instant… Someone hit me! Punish me for forgetting myself!”

“No way, ya damn tightass,” Owada growled. “If you’ve got time to yammer, you’ve got time to do it yerself.”

“You’re _all_ wasting time,” snapped Enoshima, raising a manicured hand in anger. “We should be looking for an escape. And while we’re at it, we should be tracking down whoever’s controlling that stuffed bear and give ‘em a beating!”

“Before we do that,” Fujisaki piped up, sounding hesitant, “maybe we should take a look at those electronic student handbooks…”

“There may be important rules contained within them…” Ishimaru agreed.

“It would be troublesome if we were to find ourselves caught in an explosive trap like the one we just experienced,” added Celes.

I turned on my own handbook, and my name floated up onto the screen: NAEGI MAKOTO. Additionally, I found a few buttons to toggle. MAP, REPORT CARDS, RULES, and TRUTH BULLETS. _What the hell is a truth bullet?_ I found myself wondering, but upon trying to tap the icon, I found nothing but a blank journal page.

Switching over to the rules tab, I found them laid out for me:

  1. The students will live a communal lifestyle with no limits inside the school walls.
  2. The time between 10pm and 7am is designated “night time.” During night time, there are places that are forbidden to enter, such as the dining hall, so please take care not to find yourself caught in them.
  3. Sleeping is only permitted within the dorms. Anyone intentionally sleeping elsewhere will be treated as sleeping in class, and punished accordingly.
  4. You may investigate the school as you please, with no restrictions.
  5. No violence is permitted against Headmaster Monokuma, nor is destruction of surveillance cameras.
  6. A culprit who kills a fellow student will graduate from school and be permitted to leave, provided that they are not caught out.



At the bottom was a disclaimer saying that rules could be added at any time.

I looked up from the screen, feeling almost dizzy with shock.

“What the fuck, man?” demanded Owada. “Do they really think they can control us with these rules?”

“If you really believe they cannot, why don’t you mess about and try ignoring them? I’d personally like to see what happens when a rule is violated.” Celes placed a hand delicately against her lips and gave a small tittering laugh.

“If he tries anything like that, I fear that Owada Mondo-dono’s number of remaining lives will drop to zero…”

“Y’know,” Owada muttered, “my brother always taught me discipline. Ever since I was just a kid. A man’s gotta keep his promises… And I’ve got a promise left I still haven’t made good on! There’s no fucking way I’ll die in this place! Not as long as I’m a man!”

“I cannot really say I understand your meaning,” Celes drawled, “but for now, let us agree to obey the rules, shall we?”

“Seems like that’s how it’s gotta be…”

“Excuse me,” Maizono chirped, and though she was serious, she was still charismatic as ever. “What do you all think that the sixth rule means? About the culprit being caught out?”

“Isn’t that obvious?” Togami scoffed. “If you want to leave, your crime has to go undiscovered by the rest of the rabble. A sloppy killer reaps no benefit.” He smirked then. “I see how this is meant to be. It’s a game. All against one and one against all. How entertaining.”

“I… I d-don’t understand w-what’s going on here…”

“Then shut your mouth, imbecile. Don’t ask stupid questions. Follow the orders you’re given by that bear, and that is all. I swear, you cretins wouldn’t know how to find your own feet attached to your ankles if I weren’t here to spell it out for you.”

“Hhhhh...Such moving w-w-words,” Fukawa spat, a strange expression on her face, her mouth pulled back at the corners as if she were trying to grimace and failing.

“Let’s drop all the silly stuff about killing,” Asahina recommended. “We’ve gotta search the school for a way out. It’s not against the rules, so!”

“You’re correct, Asahina-kun!” Ishimaru announced. “We must attend to all the most pressing matters first! Emergency exits! Food and supplies! We have a mountain of tasks to complete!”

“Alright, let’s explore!” Kuwata said. “Should we split off into teams?”

“Absolutely not,” Togami said flatly. “There is no chance of me spending any time with any of you commoners willingly. Especially when any number of you is likely plotting a murder already… No, cooperation will not benefit me in the slightest. I will conduct my own investigation separately.” He stalked away, finely-polished dress shoes clicking against the gymnasium floor, but paused at the door. A little quieter, he added, “You do know I’m right, yes? It’s why you were all so terrified upon learning the rules. Any of us is a possible traitor.”

“You’re… There’s no way you’re right,” Maizono said hesitantly. “I don’t believe that any of us… could be a traitor. No! I don’t want to believe it.”

“You may not want to believe it, but it’s the truth. You cannot change that.”

“Shut the fuck up, bastard,” Owada shouted. “I’ll knock yer teeth out for sayin’ shit like that!”

“Don’t question me, plankton.”

“What!”

“A single bit of plankton, adrift in a vast sea. Meaningless in the grand scheme of things. It’s what you are. It doesn’t matter what you do. You are tiny. Insignificant.”

“I oughta kill you just fer sayin’ that!”

Togami laughed, and then left the room.

“Let’s all just settle down, okay, Owada-kun?” I said, trying to be gentle, and holding my hands up placatingly. In the absence of Togami, Owada rounded on me, towering over me, his pompadour dangling down in front of my face almost comically. I sensed his large form casting a shadow over me, and I was forced to tilt my head back to look up at him. A vein popped against his forehead. His eyes were a striking purple-grey.

“What the fuck, man? You think he should just be able to get away with that sorta attitude? I’m gonna teach that kid a lesson, and if you think you’ve got an ice-cube’s chance in hell of stopping me, go ahead and try!”

“No, I didn’t mean that at all..!”

“Shut up!” he screamed, and the next thing I registered was blinding pain.

A loud crunch and several gasps rang through the air, and I fell backwards, landing on my butt, my hands clapped to my face. I think I may have blacked out for a second, my eyes crossing and the gym disappearing from view as I clutched at my nose, feeling a hot coppery-tasting liquid run through my fingers and into my mouth.

“Ow,” I mumbled vaguely, reeling and nauseous with the pain of it. Dimly, my mind replayed the image of my fall for me, and I felt a giddy sort of amusement at how pretty it looked. Almost like something out of a manga. _How could I have forgotten what kind of people I’m locked in here with?_ I wondered.

“Shit,” I heard Owada grit out, and when my vision cleared again, I saw him hovering nearby, one hand scratching the back of his neck sheepishly, his eyes averted. His shoulders were hunched in shame. “Uh… Sorry, kid. Guess I lost my cool for a second.”

“Y-Yeah,” I said, and then hastily added, “It’s alright. I’m fine.”

“You don’t look particularly fine,” Ogami said. “You are bleeding.”

“Oh! I think I saw a room that looked like an infirmary!” Asahina proclaimed, smacking one of her palms with her other fist. “We can start our exploration there! C’mon, Naegi.” She allowed me to lean on her as I got unsteadily to my feet, and I mumbled my thanks.

“Let’s go,” Fujisaki said earnestly. “Maybe we can find some gauze…”

Asahina planted her hands firmly on my shoulders and began to steer me out of the gym. She, Ogami, and Fujisaki herded me towards a room with pink double doors emblazoned with hearts on them, labelled INFIRMARY. The rest of the group slowly dispersed, separating to investigate the rest of the school.

Asahina tugged on the doors, but they held fast.

“I think they’re locked,” she said.

Ogami tried the doors as well, and then shook her head.

“I think that if Ogami-san can’t open them, probably no-one can, except maybe Owada-kun,” Fujisaki puzzled out. “They’re probably the two strongest people here…”

“Owada wouldn’t be able to open them either, but he sure as heck coulda been here to try, seeing as he’s the one who punched Naegi in the first place,” Asahina griped.

“Ah, no worries, Asahina-san,” I said. “I’m feeling much better. I think the bleeding’s stopped… Ah, but thank you for your concern! You as well, Ogami-san, Fujisaki-san.”

“Of course. Come find me if you have any more trouble with Owada,” Ogami intoned.

“Haha, right, I definitely will,” I said, though privately I was thinking that maybe that would cause more problems than it would solve. We parted ways, and I began to wander around and look at what the school had to offer.

I started by returning to the first place I had been: the main entrance hall. Inside, I found Hagakure, examining an empty mail-box near the front. _There’s no way there’s any mail in that_ , I thought. _How would it get through the big vault door?_

As I turned to leave the room, Hagakure stopped me by calling out to me.

“Hey, Naegi-chi! What a weird coincidence that we came to the same room, eh!” He laughed good-naturedly, sidling up beside me.

“Um, I guess. But not really, since we’re all exploring…”

“Say, since we’ve happened upon each other by fate, what say I give you a psychic reading at a heavily discounted rate! Great deal, eh?”

“A discount..?” I said skeptically.

“Yep! Ordinarily it’d run y’about 10,000 yen, but I’ll knock off ten percent, just for you!”

“Only ten percent! That’s still 9,000 yen!”

“Hey, c’mon, Naegi-chi! You should count yourself lucky that the Ultimate Clairvoyant is willing to give you a fortune reading, eh?”

“So are you right pretty often?”

“Well, fortune-telling isn’t an exact art, of course… But I do have the highest accuracy rating among known high-school fortune tellers! It may be as high as thirty percent!”

“You’re right less than one third of the time… That sounds like a pretty sketchy deal to me!”

“Hey, don’t be rude! It’s really high for someone in the business who isn’t a total sham! Tell you what… I’ll give you a free trial run, alright? But you’ve gotta recommend me to all your friends, eh? It’s free just this once, since I’ve already seen what the future has in store for you!”

“You’ve already seen it?”

“Yep! It appears that… the mother of your children… and the mother of _my_ children… are the same woman! Looks like we really are bound by fate, Naegi-chi!” He grinned and clapped me on the shoulder, as if this were some wonderful news he were sharing.

“Oh no, I refuse! Denied! Super-duper-ultra denied! I don’t like that at all,” I said, a little more panicky than I’d like to admit.

“Too bad, it’s already been foretold. Can’t change it now! It’s just the way it is, eh?”

“You said… thirty percent accuracy, right?”

“Pretty much, yeah!”

_I pray to everything holy that he’s wrong. Please, please, let that seventy percent chance he’s wrong come through for me…_

“If you like, I can do an additional reading right now, to check and see if my initial reading was right! Standard fees apply, of course.”

“I think I’ll pass.”

“Think about it, alright, Naegi-chi? See you!”

I left the main hall in something of a daze, still praying to any deity that may be listening.

Next I visited the room across the hall, a school store full of knickknacks and baubles that didn’t seem to serve any sort of purpose. A gacha machine with Monokuma’s face on it almost seemed to laugh at me, and I quickly left the room with a scowl.

As I stepped out, I narrowly avoided running smack into a tall and lanky person in a crisp black suit.

“Ah, Togami-kun. I didn’t see you there. My apologies!”

“Naegi,” he said, and I could feel the way he looked down his nose at me, icy blue gaze gleaming through his glasses. “How serendipitous. I have a question for you…”

“A question?” I perked up a little, wondering if this may be an attempt at friendship. Maybe Togami wasn’t so rude when he was alone..?

“Yes. Your title befuddles me. So, do explain: what does it mean to be the Super High School Level Lucky Student?”

“Oh, well… I don’t totally get it myself, but what I do know is that I was selected at random from a pool of normal high school students.”

“So, you just got into Hope’s Peak by blind luck… I see. That answers my question.” He sneered at me. “Even among the imbeciles here, you are truly unextraordinary… You stood out to me quite a lot, you know, due to how overwhelmingly boring you were.”

“Hey!” I snapped, finding my temper a little short, possibly because my nose still smarted. “You don’t have to say all that mean stuff!”

“But it’s true.”

“Maybe compared to the Ultimate Heir, but I still--”

“It’s not merely an issue of title,” he said, sighing dramatically. “Make no mistake. Even without that title, my lineage, my battles won, my intelligence, my athletic prowess, my exquisite figure--they are all perfect. Which is to say that perhaps, instead of Ultimate Heir, I should be called the Ultimate Perfection. In fact, feel free to call me that as much as you like. You, who have nothing. I, who have everything. We are truly proof that all men are _not_ created equal. Wouldn’t you agree, Naegi?” Without waiting for an answer, he continued: “I pity you, Naegi, I truly do. Life can be very cruel indeed. Now, move out of my way. The Ultimate Perfection would like to investigate this room, with its garishly orange door.”

He brushed me aside as if I were common trash, and I walked away, feeling miffed.

Elsewhere in the school, I discovered a few classrooms with alarming Monokuma drawings on the chalkboards, an A/V room with several video players, and the gate to Despair Hotel. In the dormitory area, there was a laundry room, a dining hall, a trash room with an incinerator, a storage room, and a bath-room that was blocked off and inaccessible. 

Additionally, there was a curving hallway lined with eight doors on each side. One of the doors was undecorated, and when I wiggled the handle I found it locked. It looked as if there had been several stickers on the door at some point, but they’d been scraped off, leaving only the gluey remnants behind. The rest of the doors each had a placard that displayed our portraits in a cartoonish pixely art style, with a key sticking out of each lock. I found mine quickly, examining the tag attached to the key. It was worn soft leather, scratched with age and stamped with my name.

I unlocked the door, and then paused to look at the placard. I smiled a little; it was a rather cute drawing. Glancing around, I saw that the room directly adjacent to mine was Maizono’s, and I felt a little prickle of happiness.

“Hey, Yamada-kun,” I said. He looked sideways at me, not budging from where he’d been standing in front of Maizono’s door, staring at the placard with a puzzled expression. “What’s going on? You look troubled.”

“Ah, well, Naegi Makoto-dono… It’s hard to explain, but… How shall I put this? This artwork, displayed so beautifully on each of these doors… It all bears a striking resemblance to my own art style. It’s eerie, how similar it is to something I would have drawn…” He stroked his chin thoughtfully and reached out to touch the portrait of Maizono, before hesitating and withdrawing his hand at the last moment. “Ah, but nevermind. Surely it’s not my artwork. I have no recollection of drawing such a piece. I suppose I’d better be off… Maybe some of the gods’ nectar will clear my head!”

“The gods’... nectar?” I repeated reluctantly, almost afraid to ask for clarification.

“Diet Coke, of course! Truly the most ingenious innovation that mankind has to offer! Now, where was that dining hall again…” He sped off, muttering to himself.

 _What a strange guy_ , I thought, as I entered my dorm room.

“Whuh,” I said aloud. I couldn’t help myself. The room was… too familiar. Too jarringly similar to how I would’ve decorated it. Aside from the basic necessities--the bed, the desk, the door to the adjoining restroom--the room seemed tailored to my specific tastes, down to the little plastic trash-can decorated with stickers from some of my favorite anime. The bedposts, too, had familiar stickers, faded with age, as well as ones from anime or manga I didn’t recognize. The walls were decorated with posters, as well as photographs of myself and my sister, Komaru, and our parents. One of the posters was for Maizono’s pop band.

On the desk were a few of my favorite books, as well as what looked like standard required reading for school. Lots and lots of manga as well, and a little bowl with my favorite candy in it. There was a notebook with the first few pages torn out, and a pen that I recognized laying on it--a pen that I had left at home. A pen that must have been brought here by someone.

I felt my skin crawling with the creepiness of it all. Someone had to have been stalking me for some time to know exactly what things I liked. To steal my favorite pen--the one with the little bear on the cap--and bring it here.

In a haze of tangled emotion, I stormed over to the desk, picked up the pen, and snapped the little bear off the pen. I threw the tiny creature into the trash can violently, and then collapsed on my bed and glared at the ceiling. I held the pen in my hand and clicked it rapidly, then slower as I started to calm down. I felt the watchful unblinking eye of the security camera mounted on the wall.

_What the hell is going on in this school?_

絶望

Groggily, I swam out of the peaceful dream I’d been having of home, and reality came crashing down on me once more. I sat bolt upright on the bed, my head pounding with the sudden movement. The comfort of sleep left me, and I was reminded of all the horror that had occurred here in this school already.

I retrieved my pen from where it had fallen on the floor, and examined it, feeling a little sorry that I had broken it in my earlier anger. I peered into the trash can, considering fishing out the bear and trying to reattach it, but I found something else of interest instead: a small bronze coin with Monokuma’s face stamped on it. I shoved the coin into my pocket and replaced the pen on my desk near the notebook, thinking savagely that if I never saw another piece of bear-related memorabilia in my life, it would be too soon. The pen-topper would remain in the trash can until the inevitable heat-death of the universe, as far as I was concerned.

Suddenly, looking down at the desk, curiosity drove me to pull open the shut drawer and rifle through the contents. What I found was something of a surprise: a toolbox with a screwdriver, a wrench, and a hammer, still neatly wrapped in its plastic packaging. Beside it, a note:

FOR THE BOYS, A TOOLKIT, EQUIPPED WITH A DEADLY HAMMER. FOR THE GIRLS, A SEWING KIT WITH A MAP OF THE BODY’S VITAL ORGANS. USE WITH PLEASURE! ;) --MONOKUMA

_Not only incredibly scary and annoying, but also fairly sexist_ , I thought grouchily, and closed the drawer without bothering to inspect the toolkit further.

Feeling the urge to inspect the restroom, I stepped over to the door, finding a sign on its front: ENSUITE RESTROOMS FOR BOYS DO NOT HAVE INDIVIDUAL LOCKS. ENSUITE RESTROOMS FOR GIRLS DO HAVE INDIVIDUAL LOCKS. ALL WATER SHUTS OFF AT NIGHT TIME.

 _Still sexist, though slightly more pointless and confounding_.

Jiggling the handle, I found that the door didn’t budge. _Only girls are supposed to have individual locks!_ I thought indignantly. _What the hell is being insinuated here!_ Feeling insulted, I pounded on the door with an open palm, as if trying to beat it into submission.

“Whatcha doin’, sport?” Monokuma sing-songed behind me, and I spun around.

“How did you get in here!?”

“I can get anywhere I want,” he said gleefully. “By the way, that door’s not locked. You’d know that if you paid any attention to the sign.”

“It clearly is locked,” I groused. “I’m definitely a boy, so how about you fix it.”

“It’s not locked,” he disagreed. “You just got saddled with the worst door in the place! The frame isn’t quite right, so the door gets stuck! How very unlucky, mister lucky student! But all you gotta do is pull up as you turn the knob, and it should open just peachy.”

Giving it a try, I found that pulling the door upwards and out did indeed solve the problem, and when I turned around to begrudgingly thank Monokuma, he had already disappeared.

Inside the restroom, aside from the sink and toilet, there was a spacious and nicely-tiled shower, with half-empty shampoo bottles strewn on the floor. I straightened them, used the restroom, and then ventured out of my room after ensuring that both my handbook and my key were in my pockets.

I was just thinking about how I’d better be sure to lock the door, when I stepped out and walked into another person for the second time. This time though, it wasn’t someone nearly as unpleasant as Togami, but rather my entirely charming neighbor, Maizono Sayaka.

“Kyah,” she said, wincing and rubbing her forehead where we had knocked into each other.

“Ah, Maizono-san! I’m so sorry, I wasn’t really paying attention to where I was going…”

“Hehe, it’s alright. It’s my fault too… But I’m pretty sturdy, so don’t worry about me! I may look fragile, but jumping around on stage builds muscle!” She flexed her bicep jokingly.

“Haha, that’s good then!”

“But Naegi-kun, are _you_ alright? Owada-kun’s punch… Your face is all purple. And you never wiped off the dried blood.”

“Oh-!” Quickly, I brought the sleeve of my hoodie up, and tried to scrub the rust-colored flakes of blood from my upper lip. “Er, I’m alright, though!”

“Oh, good. I was worried…”

“How come you were waiting outside my door?”

“Ah, well, I was starting to get worried… You’d been in your room for a long time. The rest of us are gathering in the dining hall to talk about what we discovered, so I thought you should be involved. And… I wanted to be sure that you were okay…”

“Oh… That’s… very kind of you.” I hoped I wasn’t blushing.

“C’mon, Naegi-kun, let’s head to the dining hall.” I fell into step beside her as we walked off. Glancing sidelong at her, I wondered again if she perhaps remembered me, from back when we attended--

“Nekuro-Roku Junior High.” She nodded knowingly as she said it.

“Huh! How did you know that’s what I was thinking about?”

“Don’t forget, Naegi-kun. I’m a mind reader… Just kidding again! I’m just pretty perceptive. But to tell you the truth, I didn’t know that’s what you were thinking about. I was just wondering if you remembered me from when we went to school together.”

“Well, yeah, I do. But I’m surprised… you remember me?”

She giggled. “Of course I do, silly! I’m glad it really is you… It’s nice to feel like I can count on someone here. Having you by my side just makes me feel a lot better…”

“A-Ah.” Now I was definitely blushing.

“If I didn’t have you here… I’d feel lost, I think. That’s why I’m relieved you’re with me.”

“Well, that’s… I feel the same.” She gave me that smile again, the sweet smile to warm my heart. I couldn’t imagine a sweeter expression on anyone else.

“You know, it’s interesting how fate works… We never talked in middle school. You never even looked at me. And yet here we are, finally with the chance to talk to each other.”

“Well, you were kind of a celebrity, even then… I didn’t want to be weird and stare at you or something… Hey, wait! How’d you know I never looked at you?”

She stopped walking, and I stopped with her. She laughed a little, and then blushed. “Because I was always looking at you.”

“...Huh? You… were looking at me?”

“To tell you the truth, I always wanted a chance to speak to you… But we ended up graduating and moving on to high school without saying a single word. I kind of regretted my own shyness…”

“Why me?” I asked, feeling like a fool.

“Well… Do you remember our first year of junior high? That huge bird wandered onto campus…”

“The crane,” I agreed. “I remember.”

“That’s right. A crane. It was so huge, the teachers had no idea what to do… But you just took the lead. You led it right back out of the school and into the forest. Like a prince from a fairy tale. You helped it find its way out… You were so gentle and kind, Naegi-kun. You saved it. And now… I think you’re here to save me.” She tipped her head to the side as she smiled widely at me. “Perhaps I should make you a cloak out of my feathers!” She laughed again. “But anyway… That’s why I wanted to talk to you. I could tell you were a nice person just from the way you handled that. And I’m sure that you will do the same for me! You’ll lead me out of here like that crane… Maybe it’s just my perception, but that’s what I truly believe, Naegi-kun.”

Lava bubbled in my stomach, nervous but resolute. “I promise to do my very best. I’ll make sure you get out of here, Maizono-san!”

“I know, Naegi-kun. Come on. Let’s go meet the others.”

Together, we entered the dining hall.

 _It’s nice that we have such a clean place to sit and eat in_ , I thought.

“It may be a luxury, but we can’t appreciate it too much, since we’re locked in here,” Maizono said.

“You read my mind again,” I said, almost awed.

“Hmhm! Definitely not. It’s just my perception. Anyway, let’s go over what we all found, shall we?”

“Naegi-kun! Maizono-kun! I’m glad you could join us!” Ishimaru called. “Is this all of us? Now then! Let’s all report what we’ve learned!”

“Wait a sec,” Enoshima said. “Aren’t we missing Kirigiri? That silver-haired girl.”

“Ah! You’re right, Enoshima-kun!” He looked around the dining hall. “Er… Has anyone seen her?”

Slowly, people shook their heads.

“Nobody’s seen her… all day..?” Fujisaki said.

Cold dread settled low in my gut. _You must kill someone if you want to leave._

_Could it be..? Kirigiri-san… was… No! No, of course not. I’m being silly. There’s no way that’s the case._

“Unforgivable, Kirigiri-kun. Late on the first day..! Well, we must simply press on without her here! The first meeting of the Hope’s Peak Class Council!”

“Naegi-kun, we should ask everyone what they found. If I remember correctly… Togami-kun, Ishimaru-kun, and Kirigiri-san all went alone. Kuwata-kun, Hagakure-kun, Enoshima-san, and Fujisaki-san went together. Asahina-san, Ogami-san, and Owada-kun formed another group. And then Fukawa-san, Celes-san, and Yamada-kun stayed together in the gym.”

“Got it. Um… I guess let’s start with Togami-kun,” I said, seeing Togami’s impatient expression.

“I looked for leads regarding the culprit who locked us in here, and found nothing of use. That’s all.”

“Uh… Alright. Ishimaru-kun?”

“I investigated the dormitory area, and made a grand discovery: we each have our own private room!”

“Duh,” Asahina said. “We know that already. And there’s a placard on each door that designates whose it is.”

“And there’s decorations in the rooms that seem suited to our personalities,” Kuwata added. “It’s crazy! Mine’s got all sorts of rock band posters and merch! Not a single baseball in sight. That’s what I like to see!”

“We have also each been provided with a labelled key,” Ogami said.

“And that’s not all,” Enoshima brought up. “The rooms are totally soundproof. Fujisaki and I tested them.”

“Your neighbor could scream their lungs out,” Fujisaki said, nearly a whisper, “and you wouldn’t hear a thing.”

“We each also have a shower room,” Celes added, “with a locking door.”

“But only the girls,” Fujisaki corrected, fidgeting with the hem of her skirt. “The boys’ showers don’t lock.”

“I investigated the windows,” Ogami said. “All were covered with metal plates. None budged.”

“‘S right,” Owada agreed, sighing. “I tried too. No way we can move those things.”

“It looks like… there really is no escape,” Fujisaki said, looking teary-eyed. “We’re really trapped in here…”

“This is so bad,” Enoshima fretted. “Bad, bad, bad, bad, bad! What’re we gonna do?”

“Does anyone else have anything to add?” I asked. “Celes-san, how about you? You and Yamada-kun and Fukawa-san stuck together, right?”

“Well, it’s more like we did nothing. The three of us stood in the gymnasium.” She sniffed haughtily. “I felt no need to repeat the tasks you were all already performing.”

“What the hell? You seriously didn’t help at all?” demanded Enoshima.

“I-I-It’s not like anyone inv-vited me to join them!” Fukawa hissed.

“Well if you wanted to come along, you shoulda said so!”

“I c-c-can’t just go around doing things like that… I’m not as un-n-nrefined as you are.”

“Un…refined..?” Enoshima echoed, dumbfounded.

“A girl with a skinny body and an empty h-h-head… It makes me ill.”

“What… How could you say something so rude? We just met each other! You don’t know me!” Enoshima snapped, voice rising in pitch. “What the hell is wrong with you?!”

“All this fighting is bad for your skin,” Hagakure interrupted, and both girls seemed too stunned by the preposterousness of the statement that they stopped arguing.

“Since I think we’ve heard from everyone else,” Maizono said to me, “here’s what I’ve gathered. The dining hall is stocked with plenty of food. We shouldn’t go hungry. Monokuma said the fridge will refill as we deplete it. It was strange, the way he appeared out of nowhere.”

“An elusive weapon shaped like a stuffed toy… What remarkable technology… I’d love an opportunity to study it,” pondered Fujisaki. “But it’s much too scary.”

“Studying it is a noble goal nonetheless,” said a monotone voice from the doorway, and we all turned to look as Kirigiri ambled into the room.

“Kirigiri-kun! What do you have to say for yourself!” demanded Ishimaru.

From the pocket of her stylish leather jacket, she pulled her electronic handbook, and opened it to the map page. “I was merely investigating. The map seems to align with the architecture of the building we’re in. This truly is Hope’s Peak, and not some sort of replica or decoy.”

“So we weren’t dragged away to somewhere else,” Fujisaki hummed.

“If this really is Hope’s Peak,” Asahina wondered, “then where are all the students?”

“And the real headmaster is missing too,” Kirigiri mused.

“This conversation is so gloomy. Let’s cool it, eh? We shouldn’t worry so much, or we’ll wind up draining all our ectoplasm.”

“L-L-Locked up in this aw-w-ful place… What sh-should we do..?”

“Isn’t that obvious?” Togami said. “All you need to do is kill.”

“S-Stop it… Don’t s-s-say that…”

“It’s the unavoidable truth.”

“The other option, of course,” Celes began, “is to do what human beings do best: adapt.”

“Are you saying we should get _used_ to this awful place?” Fujisaki asked, cheeks flushed pink with distress, tears beading in the corners of her wide hazel eyes.

“Knowing how to adapt is the difference between loss and victory. Life and death. The ones who survive aren’t those who are fastest or strongest. They’re the ones who adapt to changes as they come. Who bend rather than break.” She simpered, again behind one pale manicured hand, which bore a large metal claw-like ring. “I have a proposal for you all, in that same vein.”

“A proposal..?”

“Since we are doomed to stay overnight here, I believe we should implement a rule. No milling about in the halls during night time. We should remain confined to our private rooms from dusk to dawn, to minimize potential for… unfortunate incidents. I feel that it will also help to calm our hearts… So that we do not become paralyzed with fear of being murdered during the night. That is all.”

“Restricting our movement during night time will help keep the darkness at bay,” Ogami agreed, her gravelly voice ominous.

“Of course, it’s not an official school rule, so we shall simply have to trust one another to adhere. Hmhmhm…”

“I think it’s a good idea,” Owada said, nodding slowly. “Like the goth chick said. Keeps people safe and makes ‘em less nervous.”

“I approve on behalf of all the boys!” Ishimaru declared.

“Wh--You can’t do that!” Kuwata protested.

“I’m in favor,” Fujisaki said.

Everyone murmured their assent, and Celes smiled serenely.

“Excellent,” she said. “With that matter settled, I believe I will head to my room to shower. It is nearly 8pm, and I am not particularly hungry for dinner… Good night. Do try to keep to yourselves until breakfast. Hmhmhm.” She floated gracefully off, her ruby-colored heels clicking loudly.

“Well, Mr Chairman,” Enoshima said to Ishimaru. “What should we do now?”

“Let’s bring the meeting to a close. We’ll reconvene in the morning.”

“I really don’t want to sleep in this awful place,” Fujisaki whimpered, fists clenched.

“I don’t think we have a choice,” Enoshima said resignedly.

“Don’t worry too much, guys,” I spoke up. “Tomorrow’s a new day.”

We all shuffled slowly out of the dining hall, reluctant to part ways. Everyone quietly entered their rooms and shut the doors behind them, and I could hear the locks sliding into place behind each one.

I reached for the doorknob of my own room, but on one side of me--the side opposite to Maizono’s room--was Kirigiri, standing in front of her own door and fixing that chilly stare on me. I looked at her.

“Naegi-kun. Are you afraid?”

I paused, the doorknob half-turned. It was a question I hadn’t anticipated. “Afraid?”

“Being trapped in a place like this,” she elaborated.

“Who wouldn’t be scared? Of course I am…”

“Ah. That’s good.”

“Huh? It’s… good?”

Kirigiri’s face was unreadable. “Yes. Fear is proof that your imagination is working.”

“...Huh..?”

“Good night, Naegi-kun. And hold onto your fears. They will keep you safe. Be well.” With that, she disappeared into her room, and I was left alone in the hall.

絶望

Attention! It’s time for the Monokuma Theatre! Here’s a message from our beloved headmaster: 

_A life of luxury here with Headmaster Monokuma! It’s the start of a great new school year here at Hope’s Peak Private Academy. It makes me so proud and happy! I thank you from the bottom of my heart for making our wonderful ceremony for the new students a success. Never lose sight of your pride as a student of this school, and aim for excellence every new day! I pledge to make your life here the best that I can!_

_\--Headmaster Monokuma_

絶望

I was awoken by the sound of a four-note chime playing over the school broadcast system. Monokuma announced that it was 7 am, time to start the day. I groaned and rolled over, covering my head with the blanket and wishing for a few extra minutes. I shut my eyes tight and tried to will myself home, thinking that maybe if I imagined hard enough, I’d be back in my own bed. It would all just be a mistake. A loathsome mistake, for sure, but at least this wouldn’t be real.

But I couldn’t mope forever, so I dragged myself from the warmth and comfort of the bed. _I wonder how night time went… If everyone kept the promise to stay in our rooms. Well… I guess the best way to find out is to go look for Maizono-san and the others._

I showered and dressed quickly, electing to ignore that somehow the closet was stocked with clothes from my home, and then exited my room. There was Ishimaru, standing in the hallway.

“Naegi-kun!” he exclaimed, and I readied myself to be berated. “Good morning!”

“O-Oh. Um, good morning, Ishimaru-kun.”

“Morning greetings are such a wonderful way to start the day, aren’t they! It calms the soul! Are you ready to give today your all?”

“Y-Yeah… Yeah, I am!”

“It is excellent to hear that, Naegi-kun! Let’s do our best!” With that, he power-walked down the hall and towards the dining room.

_Ishimaru-kun is just… always like this, isn’t he._

I followed him in at a slightly more leisurely pace, and began greeting those who were already present.

“Good morning, Togami-kun!” I said. He didn’t look at me, just continued to sip at his black coffee, so I tried again. “Um, Togami-kun, good mor--”

“You _don’t_ need to say it twice. I’m only here for breakfast, not to speak with you. So go away.”

I was stunned for a moment, but a soft raspy voice brought me out of it.

“Good morning, Naegi-kun!”

“Ah, good morning, Fujisaki-san!”

“Oh, but you know… The windows are all blocked, and we can’t see outside… So how can we even be sure it really _is_ morning? I guess we have to take Monokuma’s word for it…”

“Yeah, I guess so…”

“A-Ah, I’m sorry! I’m saying weird things, aren’t I! Sorry!” As she spoke she was scratching fervently at her arm through the dark green sleeve of her uniform jacket.

“No, that’s okay, you don’t have to apologize… Um, Fujisaki-san? Are… are you okay?” I gestured vaguely to her clawed hand, where it raked up and down her arm.

“Oh… Um, I got bitten by a mosquito last night… It’s really itchy… Oh, but I’m sorry if I gave you the impression it was something serious! I didn’t mean to make you worry…”

“That’s alright. But it really itches, huh?”

“Yeah. Look,” she said, and rolled up her jacket sleeve, then the sleeve of the white button-up she wore underneath it. A swollen red bump stood out starkly against her pale skin.

“Holy cow, that looks like it really hurts! It’s pretty big… Did it bite you while you were asleep or something?”

“No, I was awake…” She rolled her sleeves back down, flexing her elbow as if trying to scratch it still.

“You were awake? Did you just not feel it?”

“No, I felt the pinch when it bit me… It kinda hurt, but…” She looked away sheepishly, curling her shoulders a little, blushing.

“If you saw it, and it hurt, how come you didn’t smack it?” I asked, and took a seat at the table across from her, looking at her with concern.

“Well… You’re going to think it’s silly, but… I just couldn’t bring myself to kill it.” Her eyes welled up with tears, but she wiped them away with the backs of her hands as surreptitiously as she could. “It might’ve had a family, you know? It’s a living thing too… Sorry, sorry, I know that’s stupid…” She put her forehead in her hands, eyes screwed shut tight.

“Hey, no, don’t worry about me thinking it’s silly,” I protested. “I mean, I’m not really the type who likes to step on bugs either, even when they’re in my house… I guess I can’t really blame you. But don’t go scratching it, alright? That’ll just make it worse!”

“Y-Yeah, I’ll try not to,” she said, looking back up at me timidly. “You really think… it’s not stupid?”

“Of course I don’t think it’s stupid to care about living things,” I insisted.

She gave me a wide smile. “Eheh… Thanks, Naegi-kun!” Her smile reminded me of a cute tiny animal. _I wonder if she does that on purpose… That’s a really scary thought._ “But don’t you think it’s strange, Naegi-kun? This place is supposed to be totally closed off, and yet there are living mosquitoes here. Maybe… there’s a spot somewhere in the school where they can grow. A garden or something?”

“Hmm, maybe!” I said.

“Or, or, or! Maybe there’s a secret passage out somewhere! And we just need to find it!” she said excitedly.

“That would be pretty cool. But even if there’s not, I’m sure we’ll get out of here somehow. We just have to have hope and work together!”

“Wow… That’s really smart, Naegi-kun… It’s nice how you keep such a positive outlook, hehe! But…” She looked suddenly very downtrodden, eyes cast down at her own knees where she perched on the cafeteria bench. “I can’t imagine how _I’ll_ be useful… Without a computer in front of me, I’m just a burden…”

“What! No, don’t say things like that, Fujisaki-san! I feel way better knowing someone with your brains is on our team.”

She looked up at me, her eyes wet. “You… you really mean that?”

“Yeah, of course! So let’s all do our best together, okay?”

“...Yeah! Yeah, okay. Let’s do it. Eheh… Thank you, Naegi-kun…”

I gave her an encouraging smile, and then turned to look at my right, where someone else had just sat down, though quite a ways down the table.

“Ah, good morning, Kirigiri-san,” I said.

“Good morning.” Her arms were folded over her chest, her face neutral. I remembered what she had said to me last night. _Hold onto your fears. They will keep you safe._ I felt my brow furrow a little as I looked at her, trying to gauge her thoughts, but she was as inscrutable as stone. She turned her head, lavender eyes boring into me as I instinctively straightened my back. “Is there something you want to talk to me about, Naegi-kun?”

“Er… No, I guess not. Sorry.” Not wanting to sit there in the awkward silence, I rose from the table and walked to the back of the dining hall, where I found the door to the kitchen. I thought about grabbing some fruit off the mountains of produce in the center but ultimately decided I wasn’t hungry, and was about to reenter the cafeteria when something caught my attention.

A row of immaculately-polished kitchen knives, gleaming brightly where they hung on the wall. Six of them, sharpened to deadly points. I suppressed a shudder and quickly left the kitchen, trying to shove all thoughts of Monokuma out of my mind. It wouldn’t do me any good to dwell.

A few other people were entering the dining hall as I returned to it, but Maizono wasn’t among them, so I decided to go find her in her room. I exchanged some greetings with Kuwata and Hagakure as I passed by them, and then stood in front of Maizono’s door and rang the bell.

Feeling oddly nervous, I bounced up and down on the fronts of my feet a little, but the tension eased when she opened the door, brushing a strand of blue hair away from her face. She lit up when she saw me, and I couldn’t help but grin back.

“Naegi-kun, great timing! I was thinking of going to do something real quick… Do you want to come with me?”

“Ah, s-sure! What were you thinking of doing, Maizono-san?”

“Well…” Suddenly she was apprehensive, her smile fading as she averted her gaze. “I was thinking of finding something to use… as a weapon for self-defense,” she admitted, voice hushed.

“A weapon?!” I whispered back, alarmed.

“Just in case,” she said quickly, her eyes like big sapphires, almost pleading. “I mean, after all, we don’t know anyone here besides each other, do we? We don’t know their intentions… We can’t be sure… I have to have something to protect myself. I just won’t feel safe if I don’t. Please, Naegi-kun… Please try to understand that.”

“I… I understand, Maizono-san… I’ll come with you to get something. But… It shouldn’t be something obvious, and not too dangerous either…” I racked my brain, and for a moment all I could come up with was one of those dastardly knives--but then I was struck with an idea. _The trophy room in front of the gymnasium had a practice katana in it!_

“The trophy room by the gymnasium, huh?” Maizono mused. “Yeah, I do think there was a replica katana there…”

“Ah! Again?!”

“Of course! Your mind is so easy to read, Naegi-kun!” She laughed, and slapped at my shoulder playfully. “Kidding, kidding. C’mon, let’s go!”

“Some intuition,” I grumbled back, a smile tugging at my lips.

We moved down the hall of the Despair Hotel and into the school proper, where we ran into Asahina and Ogami chatting quietly, and Fukawa skulking nearby.

“Ah, good morning, Fukawa-san,” I said. “This is something of an unexpected group. I wouldn’t have predicted you making friends with Asahina-san or Ogami-san.”

“That’s not it,” she snapped. “We’re _not_ f-f-friends! I don’t make friends w-with people who have more m-muscles than b-b-brains…”

“How cruel!” Asahina said indignantly. “You looked like you really wanted someone to invite you yesterday, so this morning I came and did just that, and now you insult me!”

“I d-d-didn’t ask you to! You should all j-just stay _away_ from me!” Grabbing at her own hair in a way that made it look like she might seriously rip it out, Fukawa stomped away as quickly as she could in her shin-length skirt.

“Should we go after her?” Asahina asked unenthusiastically.

“I would suggest that we give her some space,” murmured Ogami.

“Yeah, you’re probably right.”

_Jeez, Fukawa is like the oil to Asahina and Ogami’s water. They just don’t mix._

“So, Naegi, Maizono-chan, good morning! Sorry you had to see that!”

“Good morning, Asahina-san,” I replied. “What are you two up to?”

“We’re continuing yesterday’s investigation!” Asahina declared. “I feel like we might actually find something useful today! If we do, we’ll come let everyone know!”

“We must find a lead to help us escape this place,” Ogami agreed, nodding solemnly. “Asahina suggested inviting Fukawa to help her feel more included… To be honest, human connections are not my strength, but I thought it was a good idea. It’s a shame she does not wish to attempt a friendship.” She closed both eyes, arms folded, as if meditating.

At that moment, the bright orange door to the school store swung open, and out stepped a familiar fashionista.

“Ah, Naegi! Good morning! Out on a date with Maizono, I see!” She grinned, and it reminded me a little of a shark’s grin, with all those sharp teeth. She winked at me, and I scuffled my sneakers a bit, feeling uncomfortable under her scrutinizing gaze. _There sure is more to Enoshima than meets the eye, I’d say_.

“A date?” Maizono asked. “Oh, no, it’s not like that! We’re just… partners!”

“Huh!? That sounds even worse!” I said.

“Whatever! It’s not my place to judge!” Enoshima sang, and then minced away, calling out, “Have fun!”

“Let’s just get to the gymnasium already,” I said, shoving my hands into the pockets of my blazer and bidding an amused Asahina and Ogami adieu.

“Whatever you say,” Maizono chuckled.

I groaned internally as we bumped into yet another student in the halls. Kuwata stood with his back to us, hands on his hips in front of a huge metal grate that barred access to a stairwell up.

“Good morning, Kuwata-kun,” Maizono called politely.

“Ah, hey,” Kuwata said, turning to us.

“What are you doing?”

“Well, I was just checking this grate out again. It would be great to get to go upstairs… There might be an exit up there, you know! And there’s another staircase up over by the dorms, but that one’s blocked off too… This is like, super mega uncool. I hate being trapped here.” He scratched at his unruly mane of red hair. “If I’m stuck here, how’m I supposed to achieve my dreams, y’know?”

“Your… dreams?” Maizono echoed.

“Yeah, haha! I wanna be a musician… I can’t believe I just admitted that to the most famous idol of our generation, heheh! But it’s kinda cool, right? I’ve got the vibe of a great musician, right?”

Maizono smiled at him, but something about it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “You’re right, Kuwata-kun,” she said indulgently. “That is cool… It’s nice… to have a dream.”

“Maizono-san..?” I started.

“It’s nothing,” she quickly replied. “Let’s go. See you later, Kuwata-kun.”

The two of us hurried into the trophy room of the gym, and I breathed a sigh of relief when nobody else interrupted us.

“There it is,” Maizono murmured. “Naegi-kun… would you mind getting it for me?”

“Huh? Oh, sure, I guess…” I stepped up to the glass display case, wiping my sweaty palms on my hands. It didn’t say it was against the rules to remove the sword from its case, but… I was still nervous. The top of the glass came off with little effort, and I gingerly removed the katana--stand and all--from atop its plush velvet podium. Replacing the glass, I hefted it in both hands. It was surprisingly heavy, for being a replica.

Just to be sure, I set aside the stand for it and gripped it by the hilt, then unsheathed it. Sure enough, it was fake. No way of accidentally stabbing someone with something like this.

I replaced the sheath and leaned down to pick up the stand from where I’d left it on the ground, but--

“Ah,” I said in surprise. “My hands…” The sheath and the hilt of the katana were both coated in shimmery gold leaf, and now my hands were sticky with it too. “Check it out,” I said, holding out my palm to her.

“Oh,” she said, and giggled. “You’re all gold and glittery!”

“Yeah,” I said. “Better be careful with it. I’ll need to wash my hands after this.”

“C’mon,” she said. “Let’s go put this in my room, and you can wash your hands there.”

Mercifully, we didn’t run into anyone on the way back to Maizono’s room. Explaining the katana would’ve been an uncomfortable affair, so when she unlocked the door, I hurried inside, eager to get away from whatever pairs of eyes may be nearby.

I delicately set the sword and its stand on a low bookshelf, and then paused to look around the room.

Maizono’s room was just as decorated as mine. Her four-poster bed had a frilly pink quilt on it, and her pillows were embroidered with flowers. There were stacks of CDs on her desk, as well as a small pile of stamps, presumably for answering fan-mail. Framed above the bed was a poster of Maizono’s idol group, and beside it was a string of photos of them together in casual settings--slumber parties, diners, someone’s kitchen. There were a few spots on the wall that were oddly faded, like other photos had been hung for a long while and then taken down. On the opposite wall were posters of other celebrities. _Mioda Ibuki, live in concert!_ boasted a signed print.

“It’s strange, isn’t it,” Maizono said, knowing what I was thinking yet again. “I’m not the one who decorated it, but… it’s definitely to my tastes. There’s even clothes in the closet that I would wear.”

“My room is the same,” I said, nodding. “It’s… definitely pretty creepy.”

“You can go ahead and wash that gold leaf off your hands if you want,” she said, and gestured to the restroom.

“Thanks,” I said, ducking inside. I washed my hands as quickly as I could, but the stuff stuck fast, so it took me a few minutes. When I stepped back out, Maizono was standing beside her bed, touching a photograph of herself and her band with just the tips of her fingers.

Feeling like an intruder, I stood there and tried not to look at her for a moment, and then she said quietly, “Naegi-kun… This question may be coming out of nowhere, but… do you have a dream?”

I was still, contemplating the question. “A dream… I guess I don’t. Not really. I think I’m still searching for one.”

“Oh. I see. It would be nice if you found one, Naegi-kun.”

“Yeah… but what about your dreams, Maizono-san?”

Maizono gazed unblinkingly at that same photo. From the distance I stood at, I couldn’t really make it out, but it looked like they were sitting around a table together and laughing. It was… nice. Maizono finally said, “Ever since I was little I had the same dream. I admired the idols… I wanted to be one of them. They always made me so happy. Seeing them on television when I was home alone. My dad was always at work, and it was just the two of us, but… Seeing those idols singing and dancing and smiling and having fun… it made it feel less lonely. They were like… like big sisters to me or something. When I saw them smile like they did, my loneliness would evaporate… I wanted to do that for others. I wanted my smile to give people strength.”

“It does,” I said, moving a little closer, in reach but not quite touching. “You do.”

“I know,” she whispered. “Maybe that’s vain, but… I achieved my dream, Naegi-kun. I made it.” Her eyes, normally such a bright and brilliant blue, looked overcast. “To make it in a world like that, Naegi-kun… You have to be willing to do anything. You know?” She stepped away from the wall, turning to face me, and fixing me with an intense stare--a stare sharp and brisk as a winter day. “And I was willing. I was prepared for that. I refused to give up. I fought and kicked and scratched my way to the top. I did… I did things you probably wouldn’t believe of me… Naegi-kun…” Her voice was barely audible. “If you knew… you’d probably be ashamed to be standing here in my company.” Tears glittered in those stormy eyes.

“There’s no way something like that could be true,” I said.

“It is. It’s the truth. I truly believe that it’s possible to achieve all your dreams. You just have to be willing to sacrifice everything. You have to keep your dreams in sight. If you let opportunities pass you by…” She wrapped her arms around her own body, as if comforting herself with a hug. “It’s so easy to lose. Every moment that you’re not reaching for your goal, the world is turning, and it’s getting farther away. And all those people… All the lonely little girls who might have seen my smile and felt less lonely… they’re forgetting all about me.” A single crystalline tear beaded and ran down her cheek. “And my idol group… They’re forgetting me too. Every minute that I’m here, I’m being erased…” More tears slipped down her face. “I can’t be stuck here, Naegi-kun.”

“You… I’ll get you out of here, remember?” I said. “I promised. I have no intentions of going back on that promise!”

“Naegi-kun,” she said, and her face was deadly serious. “Please don’t turn your back on me.”

“I--I wouldn’t! Never, never ever!”

“You… You’d do anything to keep that promise to me… right, Naegi-kun? You’ll help me get out of here… no matter what.”

“That’s right. I’m going to get you out of here.” _I’m going to get you out of here_. I repeated it over and over again in my head, a mantra, carving the words onto the walls of my soul. “No matter what it takes, you’ll see your idol group again! I promise you, Maizono-san!”

“Naegi-kun… Thank you.” She smiled up at me, seeming impossibly sad. “You know… Maybe you should take that katana after all, instead of me.”

“Huh? Why me?”

“Well… you’ll protect me, right?”

“Y-Yeah, of course I will!”

“Well, then… I don’t think I’ll need it. I won’t need to defend myself if I’ve got you…” She played with her hair demurely, seeming bashful.

“Um… If it would make you feel better, I guess I can take it.”

“Would you? Please?”

“...Yeah. I’ll put it in my room.”

“Naegi-kun,” she said to me, as I picked up the katana and got ready to go. We made eye contact one final time as I stood in her doorway. “Thank you.”

I didn’t reply. Just smiled, and returned to my room.

絶望

After placing the katana carefully on my desk and washing my hands a second time, I checked the clock. There was still plenty of time left in the day… It seemed to me like Maizono wanted to have some time alone for a bit, so I decided to look around the school and see if there was anyone else to chat with. It certainly couldn’t hurt to make a few friends; unity would be our greatest asset in a situation like this, in spite of what someone like Togami might think.

Stepping out of my room, I spotted Ishimaru heading towards his room. When he saw me, he stopped and said, “Hello, Naegi-kun! I’m heading to my room to study a bit! I suggest you do the same!”

“Study..? Ishimaru-kun, we’re not in school.”

“You’re wrong about that! We may not have true classes here, but this is a school nonetheless, and so we must behave accordingly! Luckily, I have my own textbooks to study from! If you care to borrow one, you may do so, provided that you treat the books with proper respect!”

“I think I’ll pass… Oh, but Ishimaru-kun… I’m curious. If you spend so much time studying, what do you do for fun in your free time?”

“In my free time? I study some more! I can’t allow my grades to slip! As chairman of the Disciplinary Committee, it is my responsibility to ensure that the environment is maintained for proper learning!”

“Do you ever just, like, watch TV or something?”

“No! I study!” He paused. “This is fun! It’s my turn. What do _you_ do in your spare time, Naegi-kun?”

“Oh, um. Well, I _do_ watch TV… And I like to play video games and read manga, too.”

“Do these activities help you study?”

“Oh, uh… No. Not really. But, you know, it helps me relate to other people, and that’s pretty important too.”

“It helps you… relate to others,” Ishimaru mused. “That’s a good point! Perhaps I shall have to adopt your strategy and fritter away my hours with frivolous activities! I’ve always struggled with making friends… but if I study some television, surely I’ll have something new to talk with people about, and the conversation won’t simply die out anymore! Thank you, Naegi-sensei!”

“Sensei..!?”

“You’ve taught me a valuable lesson,” he said, and crossed the hall to me in three quick strides. He planted his hands firmly on each of my shoulders. “You’ve earned my respect, and the title of sensei!”

“I… guess I don’t hate it… But it’s pretty awkward.”

“Nonsense! It’s a title befitting someone of your wisdom!” 

“I think you should probably just stick with a normal title, Ishimaru-kun.”

He looked unhappy about it, but grudgingly agreed: “I suppose… if you insist.” Ishimaru removed his hands from my shoulders, but didn’t step back, remaining in my personal space. He looked me up and down, scrutinizing carefully. “You are wearing a hoodie beneath your blazer,” he observed.

“Uh… yeah. My last school was pretty relaxed about the dress code--”

“Well, you no longer attend that school! You should have more respect for the standards of Hope’s Peak! Take me for example: I wear this uniform every day of the year, come rain or shine.” He stood proudly, hands on his hips.

“Every day? Even on your days off?”

“School may observe holidays, but there is no vacation in the life of a student! Wearing a uniform reminds you of your place, and helps keep you motivated! You should try it!”

“Ah… I think I’ll pass.”

“Very well! If you change your mind, come see me at once, and I’ll allow you to borrow one of mine! I have ten sets of this uniform!” Beaming, he waved and marched back to his room, ostensibly to spend more time studying.

_Whew. What an exhausting guy… but at least he’s good-natured._

I wandered off down the hallway, eventually finding myself in the laundry room, where Owada was flicking through a motorcycle magazine from the magazine rack in the corner. I quickly tried to duck out of the room without being seen, but his eyes darted up at me and he grunted a hello before I could escape.

“Oh… Uh, hi, Owada-kun.”

“Naegi,” he replied, nodding once. “Hey, where ya goin’? C’mere a second.”

I shuffled nervously towards him, the door swinging shut behind me as I moved further into the room. “Um… Yes?”

“What’s yer ride?” he asked, eyes narrow. “You got a bike?”

“Um, yeah, I have a bicycle, but I don’t ride it much. Usually I take the bus--”

“No, no, a _real_ bike. A hog.”

“A… motorcycle? No, I don’t have a motorcycle.”

“Hah. Knew you were a fuckin’ dweeb.” He closed the magazine and put it back on the shelf, pushing off from where he’d been leaning against the wall. “Look, I’m gonna educate you, alright? A real man rides Kawasaki, okay? It’s got some monster power. It’s like you’re dancing.”

“You really love your bike, huh?”

“Hell yeah I do! I’m a Crazy Diamond, aren’t I? Say, you wanna come for a ride with us?”

“Um… I’m not sure…”

“C’mon, you may be a dweeb, but I’m sure you’ve got a cool side somewhere in there. You gotta know at least a little about bikes, right? Here, how about this: if you can tell me what a muffler does, you’re cool enough to come for a ride with us, just once.”

“A muffler?”

“Yeah.”

“I think… it… muffles? It makes the engine run more quietly,” I said.

“See! There ya go. I’ll let you on the back of my bike sometime.” He grinned widely at me and flashed a thumbs-up.

“I think… I’d better not. Oh, but thank you!”

“A motorcycle ride, huh?” said a soft voice from the door. “That sounds pretty cool… You should go, Naegi-kun!”

“Ah--Fujisaki-san! Hello,” I said, stepping towards her, eager to put a little distance between myself and the massive biker. “You… like motorcycles?”

“Well… I wouldn’t say that I like motorcycles so much…” She blushed, looking furtively away from Owada and I, tugging restlessly at the hem of her skirt. “I just think it would be neat to try it.”

“Well, uh,” Owada said hesitantly. His cheeks looked a little ruddy. “The back of a bike isn’t really a place for a chick…”

Fujisaki looked up at him with wide eyes, and then hung her head. “O-Oh… Yeah… You’re right. Um… I guess I’ll go…”

“Ah! Wait, Fujisaki-san…” I called out, but she had already disappeared.

“Shit,” Owada grumbled. “I think I fucked up. You think she’ll forgive me?”

“Um. I dunno. Probably, I guess,” I said. “I’m gonna go see if she’s okay, if that’s alright with you, Owada-kun.”

“Yeah… sure.” He returned to his magazine, looking embarrassed.

I chased after Fujisaki, arriving in the hallway just fast enough to see the door of her bedroom closing behind her. I rang the bell, my hands in my hoodie pockets to appear less threatening. Not that I’m a threatening person usually, but to someone like Fujisaki, who stands less than 150cm, _everyone_ is probably a little threatening.

After a moment, the door cracked open slightly, and she peeked out, her nose and cheeks red and her eyes watery.

“Naegi-kun..?”

“Fujisaki-san,” I said. “Um. I just was thinking that… you shouldn’t worry too much about what Owada-kun says! He’s just looking out for you is all.”

“Yeah…”

“Hey… Why don’t you open up? We can spend some time together.”

The door opened a fraction further. “You want to hang out with me?”

Feeling my face turn a little pink, I stammered out an affirmative, hoping she didn’t get the wrong idea.

The door swung open the rest of the way, and she beamed at me. I barely caught a glimpse of the inside of her room, just enough to see a starmap mounted on the wall and a stack of novels on the desk. Then she moved out into the hallway and shut the door behind her, cutting off my view.

“Um… Should we go chat somewhere?” She fiddled with the ribbon at her collar again, and we meandered down the hall together, no set destination in mind. She sighed through her nose a little as we walked, and I glanced down at her.

“Something wrong?”

“No… It’s just… Everyone else is working so hard to get us out of here, but I’m no help at all.”

“That’s not true…”

“It’s okay, you don’t have to try and make me feel better. I know I’m useless without a computer in front of me… At least if I were a little stronger, maybe I’d be able to help…”

“If you were… stronger?”

“Yeah… But… you saw what someone like Owada-kun thinks of someone like me. I’m… too weak even to ride a motorcycle…”

“You’ll get your chance,” I assured her. “I mean, I don’t know about the bike thing, but you’re definitely gonna be a big help in getting us out of here. I’m sure of it! Your skills will definitely come in handy at some point.”

She turned her head and looked up at me with determination. “...Yeah. I promise I’ll work as hard as I can! As soon as I get an opportunity, I’ll chip in. When it comes to computers, you can count on me.” It was the first time I’d seen Fujisaki looking so determined.

“Fujisaki-san, I’m curious, what got you into programming?”

“Huh?”

“Well, it just seems like such a ‘guy’ thing, you know? I wouldn’t have guessed the Ultimate Programmer would be a girl… Huh? What’s wrong?”

Fujisaki had stopped walking and covered her face with her hands, knees bent as if she were trying to make herself as small and invisible as possible. Muffled by her hands, she whimpered, “Is it… really that odd..?”

“Wh--Well, no, I guess not! I mean, it was my mistake for making assumptions, that’s all…” When she uncovered her face, she was crying, and I felt like someone had reached into my chest and shredded my heart in half. “I-I’m sorry, Fujisaki-san! It was my mistake, really!”

“No, it’s not your fault… I’m just…” She sniffled. “You know… there’s a lot of pressure on girls in science programs… There’s so few of them, so they get trapped… It would be shameful to… to change anything…”

“Well… I bet you’re right, but… if you don’t like programming, then it shouldn’t matter what anyone else thinks! If you want to do something girlier…”

“No, that’s not what I mean at all,” she said, shaking her head vehemently. “I _love_ programming. I have ever since I was little. I… I’ve always been weak. I was sick as a little kid, and I couldn’t run around with the other… with the other kids… But my dad’s a programmer, and one day I started to tinker with one of his programs… It was a really simple language, and I figured it out pretty quick… I started adding things, and pretty soon I’d rewritten it into something entirely new!” Fujisaki’s eyes had begun to sparkle as she spoke, not with sadness or anxiety, but with joy. “I thought he was gonna be so mad when he saw that I’d messed with his stuff… but instead he just told me how proud he was!” She smiled widely, her hands clasped together in fondness of the memory. “I _love_ being a programmer. I could never leave it…”

“Oh,” I said. “So, then… what’s the problem?”

She blanched, as if she’d forgotten what we were talking about, and then cringed, her body almost shrinking as she lost confidence. “Um… I guess I’d rather not talk about it… Sorry I brought it up…”

“That’s alright.” I chose not to pry further, although my curiosity was piqued, and it _was_ a little frustrating that she wouldn’t tell me anymore. “How about you tell me about your first program instead? The one you created out of your dad’s code?”

“Well, it was a kind of database software,” she began, and almost instantaneously she was perky again, chattering at a pace much faster than her usual hesitant speech. “It was voice-recognition. A user could talk to it, and it would talk back. It was a lot of fun! It didn’t really even sound like my voice, so it sometimes even felt like a conversation with a real person… Japanese is a pretty tricky language, so it was really hard to get it to understand what I was asking it, but that’s the most important part, so I had to get it eventually! When I pulled it off, my dad said it was gonna change the face of software recognition all over the world…”

“Wow. That’s really impressive, Fujisaki-san!”

“The production costs are pretty expensive,” she continued, “so it’s not widespread yet. But I can’t even tell you how happy it makes me to program, especially when it makes other people happy too!” Fujisaki bounced on her feet giddily, and then paused, seeming to rein herself in. “Oh, but I’ve spent all this time talking about myself… I didn’t mean to dominate the conversation…”

“No, that’s okay! I had a lot of fun learning more about you!” I assured her. “I can’t wait to learn even more next time.”

“You mean that?” At my affirmative nod, she blushed and said, “Well, then, let’s hang out again sometime! It’s a promise, okay?”

“It’s a promise..!”

絶望

It was easy enough to spend the rest of the day with some of my more friendly classmates. Kuwata and I talked about his musical aspirations; I narrowly avoided being roped into paying for another fortune-telling session with Hagakure; Asahina invited me to have lunch with her. It wasn’t until the evening, after dinner, that I got an opportunity to speak with one of the more reserved members of my class.

I rang the doorbell and waited politely for Kirigiri to open up. She looked skeptically at me as she answered the door, and said, “Can I help you?”

“Yes,” I said firmly.

She sighed with her eyes closed, then stepped out into the hall. “Make it quick if you can, please. I’d like to take a shower before night time.”

“You said,” I began, puffing out a breath. “You said that being afraid is proof that my imagination is functioning.”

“...Yes.”

“Are you?”

“...I’m sorry?”

“Are you afraid,” I clarified.

She looked at me then, _really_ looked at me, holding my gaze for several long moments. I watched her eyes flit across my features, absorbing, raking in information at lightning speed. Then finally, she said, “Yes. I am afraid.”

I was surprised by that answer. But maybe I shouldn’t have been.

“Kirigiri-san, how come you don’t show it? You look so calm all the time.”

“There is no advantage to be gained from letting the world know how I feel. So I hide my fears.”

“You… hide..?”

“What I mean is that I’m not quite so foolishly open as you are.”

“Foolishly..!?”

“The fear I experience is a little different from what you experience as well, Naegi-kun. If I had to posit a guess, anyway.”

“Different? How can your fear be different?”

“Well… Let’s put it this way: You’re afraid of what you could lose here, right? Your life, among other things.”

“I suppose…”

“I’m not particularly worried about what I _could_ lose,” she said. “I’m afraid of what I’ve already lost.”

There was a beat of silence, and then I said slowly, “I’m sorry, I don’t think I understand.”

“I know. I didn’t expect you to.” She stepped backwards into her room. “Good night,” she said, and shut the door.

絶望

Attention! It’s time for the Monokuma Theatre! Here’s a message from our beloved headmaster: 

_Eh, welcome everyone! Our school year of mutual killing is already in progress, but… Really, I could laugh. Our students, all full of hope, still think they have a chance of escaping! Upupupu… When will it start, I wonder? Our hope, killing each other! Will it be long now? My heart is pounding with excitement!_

_\--Headmaster Monokuma_

I was awoken by Monokuma’s unpleasant voice grating through the loudspeakers: “Good morning, you bastards! It’s 7 am! Time to wake up and strive to do our best today!”

Once again, I didn’t sleep very well last night. With each day that passed, my weariness only grew.

_Ding-dong!_

Rubbing my eyes blearily and with great chagrin, I crawled from the relative safety of my bed and over to the door, opening it and finding Ishimaru outside.

“Good morning, Naegi-kun!”

“Ah… Good morning, Ishimaru-kun,” I replied, though I didn’t think that any morning spent imprisoned could really be a good one.

Ishimaru looked me up and down, noting my grogginess and rumpled appearance. His voice wasn’t any quieter, but it still felt a little softer as he said, “You know, Naegi-kun, however strong the storm may get, if you plant both feet firmly, you won’t get knocked down!”

“To tell you the truth, Ishimaru-kun, I’m having a little trouble with that… I already feel somewhat knocked down,” I confessed.

“Well, I know exactly why! It is much too difficult to stand against the billowing waves alone! Having support from others is the only way to go about things! So: come with me! We’re having another meeting in the dining hall this morning.” He paused, giving me time to gather myself and stand up a little straighter. Then he continued: “I’ve been thinking hard since last night, Naegi-kun. I know we skipped out on the meeting yesterday, and I believe that was a mistake… Cooperation is key! From now on, each morning we will have a breakfast meeting! Every single day, without fail! Don’t you agree!?”

“Er, yeah. Yes, Ishimaru-kun, that sounds like a good idea.”

“Excellent! I will see you shortly then!” He sped off to the dining hall.

Dressing and leaving my room, I decided that I did agree with Ishimaru. Togetherness would save us. Forging bonds would strengthen our resolve.

“Good morning, Enoshima-san,” I said to the fashionista, who was standing in the hallway looking rather grumpy.

“Naegi, you should really try to gauge a person’s mood before talkin’ to ‘em,” she said, rolling her eyes. “I’m having a terrible hair day, and Ishimaru dragged me out of my room against my will! Super annoying.” In spite of her self-declared foul mood, Enoshima was smiling, almost shyly, and fell into step beside me as I walked towards the dining hall.

“Ah, sorry Enoshima-san. My mistake,” I said, smiling back at her. She grinned and shrugged, as if to say, _No biggie_.

“Hey, wait,” someone said behind us, and I paused to turn and look back at Kuwata. “Naegi, Enoshima, would you mind letting everyone know I’m not comin’ to the meeting?”

“Huh? How come, Kuwata-kun?”

“Because it’s _early_ ,” he said, his voice dangerously close to a whine. “I don’t wanna be up this early. That hall monitor guy started ringing my bell and wouldn’t let up until I answered, but now I’m going back to bed.”

“I think it’s useless, Kuwata-kun. I think Ishimaru-kun will probably just come get you again.”

“Ugh, ouch. You’re probably right. I guess there’s no getting out of this. To the cafeteria I go then.”

The three of us entered the cafeteria together, and Ishimaru ushered everyone around a table, where all but two of us--Togami and Fukawa--sat. Somehow, I found myself beside Owada, who kicked his legs up onto the table and leaned far enough back in his chair that I wondered if it might tip. Togami sat by himself at a different table, sipping his regular cup of black coffee, and Fukawa lingered near him.

“Alright then!” Ishimaru announced. “Everyone is present! Thank you all for coming!”

“Didn’t really have much of a choice,” Kuwata grumbled, but Ishimaru ignored him in favor of berating Owada.

“Owada-kun! Get your filthy boots off the table this instant! Please!”

“Why,” Owada grunted in response, glaring sideways at Ishimaru and folding his arms.

“Because it’s impolite! You really ought to take the meeting more seriously, Owada-kun!”

“Nah,” Owada said simply.

“I insist!”

“Make me.”

That seemed to put Ishimaru at a loss. He stood there, confused, and looked almost as if he were deciding whether or not to reach out and physically push Owada’s feet off the table.

“I am choosing to ignore your insolence this once,” he huffed. “For the sake of time and nothing more! Next time, I expect you to observe proper manners!” Ishimaru turned back to the rest of the group. “Now then! I’ve brought it up with each of you individually, but I believe we should discuss it as a group now! Camaraderie is going to be very important, you see! The more we strengthen the bonds of our friendship, the better off we’ll be, and that’s why I’ve gathered you all here! Daily breakfast meetings will help us come to know and trust one another.”

“E-e-eating breakfast with other people is so ne-e-erve-wracking,” Fukawa muttered. “I’ve never done it before…”

“Never?” Kuwata said skeptically. “What the hell is _your_ family like that you never eat together?”

“Glossing right over _that_ ,” Enoshima interrupted, “has anyone else made any relevant discoveries? Like… an exit?”

“If-f I _had_ , d-don’t you think I’d have al-l-ready left?”

“Certainly not without the rest of us, I’d hope,” Enoshima snapped, and Fukawa cowered, baring her teeth like an animal at the quick response. Enoshima then complained: “Seriously? Not even, like, a tiny little bit of progress? I don’t care if it’s about a way out, or the culprit behind all this, or whatever. Just _anything_. Anything at all!”

A calm voice rang out then, chilling in all its assuredness. It was Celes, who said like she knew it was fact, “You are going to die.” Deep silence followed her simple statement for several long moments.

“Um, excuse me?” Enoshima said, flabbergasted.

“You are far too willing to show weakness in front of others,” Celes explained. “And far too unwilling to make peace with the situation. You are not adapting. And so you will die.”

“Make _peace_ !” Enoshima repeated, her voice rising in volume and pitch. “Make _peace_?! How the hell am I supposed to make peace with this!”

“Ignore her,” Owada said, though he also sounded angry, panting heavily through his words. “She likes living here or some shit. Not worth talkin’ to.” He had taken his feet off the table and planted them on the floor, his hands gripping the table edge with white knuckles. “Ignore her,” he grumbled again.

“Ignore me if you wish, but I am correct.”

“The hell you are!” Owada shouted, and stood up. “I’m not gonna tolerate this shit! I’m gettin’ the fuck outta here no matter what you say!”

“Do as you please.”

“Knock it off,” Kuwata barked, the sharpest I’ve ever heard his voice. “Quit your arguing! Let’s just talk about what we’ve found.”

“Didn’t we just say there’s no new leads?” fretted Enoshima.

“We just gotta logic it out,” Asahina said placatingly. “Let’s just think about it, okay? Maybe we haven’t found anything new, but that doesn’t mean we can’t figure stuff out. Like, whoever the puppetmaster behind all this is, they’ve gotta be some kinda freak with a thing for the occult, right?”

“The occult?!” gasped Hagakure, suddenly sweating profusely. “You don’t mean, like, ghosts or something, right? That’d be real bad, eh!?”

“Probably not ghosts,” Fujisaki piped up, speaking clearly and slowly, as if she was thinking on the fly. “But… what about… ah, no. Probably not. Nevermind.”

“No, what is it, Fujisaki-chan?” Asahina pressed. “Even if it’s just a theory, we should think about all the possibilities.”

“Well, I was just thinking…” Fujisaki trailed off, her brows furrowed. Everyone seemed to be leaning in a little, holding our collective breath as we waited for her to speak. “Um… could it be… that killer..?”

“K-k-ki-k-killer..?” Fukawa echoed, her stutter seeming to have magnified with fright as she spoke. She bit at her fingernails. “Wh-what k-k-k-killer d-do you mean?”

“You have someone specific in mind?” I said, my gaze fixed on Fujisaki.

“Well… I was thinking… what if the mastermind behind our situation… if they’re some sort of occult fanatic, that is... is Genocider Syo?” Fujisaki mused. “I don’t have proof or anything… It’s just a possibility.”

“In our situation, proof is secondary to possibilities!” Ishimaru declared. “Please, speak! Tell us your theory!”

“Y-yeah… You’ve all heard of Genocider Syo, right?” Fujisaki continued. “Maybe he’s the culprit.”

“Genocider Syo… He’s that serial killer who’s been all over the news,” I murmured, more to myself than anyone else, thinking aloud.

“A killer who murders his victims in occult-based and exceedingly cruel ways.” Togami had spoken up for the first time since the breakfast meeting began, though he remained at a distance, sitting alone at his table with Fukawa, whom he seemed to be ignoring. “He always leaves a message written in the victim’s own blood at the scene of the crimes… ‘bloodstain fever’... He kills in sporadic bursts, attacking men indiscriminately… Police are stumped. He’s been at it for months now… And the nickname that he’s been given by the internet is… Genocider Syo.”

“According to rumors, he’s got like a thousand victims or something, eh?” Hagakure said, whiskery chin trembling with fear.

“That’s gotta be an exaggeration,” Enoshima said, though the assurance in her tone didn’t quite cover the worry in her eyes. “It’s probably, like, a few dozen at the very most.”

Fukawa made a strange noise, something like what a cornered animal might make, sweating bullets. I couldn’t help but feel sympathy for her fear. _What a scary prospect_ , I thought.

“Anyway, I was just thinking that… he seems like the type who enjoys preying on others… Or torturing them, even… so maybe he could be the puppetmaster,” Fujisaki concluded. “But like I said, I have no proof.”

“The proof’s all right there. Ya said it yerself,” Owada growled. “Only a sadistic psycho like that could come up with something like this.”

“If this dude’s our culprit,” Kuwata said, “then aren’t we pretty deep into some shady criminal underworld sorta stuff?”

“Yeah!” Asahina said brightly, her voice a strangely chipper beacon amidst the gloom and fear. “If Genocider Syo really is our captor, then… Well, then we’ve got nothing to worry about! He can’t pull something like this and _still_ manage to evade police capture! Someone’s definitely gotta be coming to rescue us. Man, I feel a lot better!”

“Bwahahahahaha!” Monokuma’s sharp, high voice cackled maniacally, appearing seemingly from nowhere. “Yeah, right! You’re gonna really on the _police_ to save you? That gaggle of useless nobodies? Here’s the role the police play in all this: they’re supporting cast, you chumps! They serve as the foil to the shadowy organizations that run the world, or the league of villains! It’s a cheap role! I promise you… it’s best to just forget about them. Their existence isn’t relevant. Besides, if you want out so badly… killing is far more effective!”

“Ahahaha,” Hagakure laughed easily. “Bravo! What a performance. Had me goin’ for a second there, eh?”

“Should we really be laughing?” demanded Kuwata.

“You seriously still believe this is all an act,” Enoshima spluttered. “How naive can you be?”

“Anyway, what do you even want with us, you deranged serial killer?!” Owada shouted at Monokuma.

“Celia Keller? Is that an Italian name?” Monokuma sang.  
“Don’t act dumb! We’ve got you figured out, you fucker!”

“Yeah, yeah,” Monokuma said dismissively. “Listen, you can theorize all you want. That’s not actually what I’m here about. The reason I’m here is that it’s been a few days already, and still nobody has tried to kill anyone! How boring is that! I mean, you’ve only got a little more character than the Yutori Generation!”

“It doesn’t matter what you say,” I argued, and stood from my seat to face Monokuma. “Nobody’s gonna kill anyone!”

“Ah, I know! Eureka, I’ve got it!” Monokuma shouted, ignoring me. “We’ve got _almost_ all the necessary ingredients, but we’re still lacking something! We’ve got our potential victims, our potential killers, we’ve got our means--there’s plenty of ways, you just hafta get creative--and there’s plenty of opportunity! But there’s one thing still missing, isn’t there! Ahahaha! I’ve got it! I’ve really got you now!”

“What are you even talking about,” Enoshima scoffed. “Just leave us the hell alone already.”

“The vital element that we’re missing,” Monokuma barreled onward, “is _motive_.”

“...Huh?” I said, feeling dumb. “Motive..?”

“Is escape not meant to be our motive?” Ogami intoned.

“Well, there’s nothing like a little drama to put some pep in your step,” Monokuma said, shrugging as best as his mechanical frame would allow. “So, here’s what I’ve got for you all: movies! Ah, don’t get me wrong, though. It’s not x-rated! It’s a movie of the outside world.”

“The outside… world?” I repeated.

“You can’t wait to watch my movie, right? Well then, hop to it! I’m sure you can figure out where to find it!”

“Stop,” Kirigiri said coolly. “Just a moment. I have a question.”

“Sure thing, girly! What can I do ya for?”

“I want to know _why_.” She levelled her gaze at Monokuma, staring him right in his unblinking red eye. “Why are you doing this? What’s your goal?”

“My goal..?” Monokuma paused, and then began to laugh softly. His laugh got louder and louder, higher and higher, until it was deafening. “Ahaha! Ahahahaha! My goal? Of course, of course, I’ll tell you! My goal is simple! There’s one thing I want from all you bastards…” The glow of his eye dimmed, and his whole being almost seemed to fall flat for a moment, losing all inflection and personality. “Despair. That’s all I want.”

“...Despair..?” I repeated.

“The secrets of this school are yours to uncover. I won’t stop you. What I want from you is despair, and only despair. I want to see you suffer. I want to see you lose all hope. I want to see you--the symbols of hope across Japan--fall into the blackness and let yourselves be swallowed up by it. Just despair. That’s it.” And just like that, Monokuma was gone.

“That’s hardly an answer,” Maizono muttered.

“Is that so? I think he gave us some very important information,” said Kirigiri. “We’re free to uncover any secrets we want… he won’t stop us. How intriguing.”

“About the movie,” Ogami said. “I’m… interested, I must confess. Shall we go find it and watch it?”

“Naegi,” Owada said, and I jerked my head around to look at him, standing at attention. “Wouldja mind checkin’ it out for us? I feel like you’re the reliable sort.” He grinned and gave me a friendly thumbs-up. “Plus, you’re standing closest to the door.”

“Oh. Uh, sure, Owada-kun. I guess.”

“Thanks, man! I owe ya one!”

“In that case, Naegi-kun, I think I’ll come with you,” Maizono said. “It may be dangerous to go alone.”

“Go on then, you two. If anything weird happens, gimme a shout!”

“Ah, yeah, right. Thanks, Owada-kun… C’mon, Maizono-san. Let’s go…”

As we stepped out of the dining hall, Maizono whispered to me, “I have no idea if I should be afraid of Owada-kun or if I should rely on him…”

I chuckled a little. “I’m not sure either,” I confessed. “He doesn’t seem like a bad person… but he’s no saint either.”

“So… Where do you think Monokuma left that video?”

“I think… probably the A/V room in the school, don’t you agree?”

“Ah, yes, that would make sense. Good call, Naegi-kun. Let’s go there first.”

We wandered through the Despair Hotel and into the school proper, where we easily found our way to the A/V room. And sitting atop one of the small individual DVD players was an innocuous-looking cardboard box.

“Ah, that must be it,” I said, pointing it out.

“DVD discs,” Maizono observed, peering into the box. “It looks like… one for each of us. They have our names on them.”

“These must be the movies then. We should go get the others!”

“I’ll go gather them!” Maizono said. “Be right back! Don’t go anywhere, Naegi-kun!” She dashed away, leaving me alone in the room with the box of movies. The “motives,” as Monokuma had called them.

 _Should I… watch mine?_ I wondered. Sorting through the discs and finding my own was easy enough. I crouched near one of the DVD players and opened the slot. My mouth felt dry and my palms were sweaty all of a sudden. Something felt… wrong. As I put the disc in place and let the player slide shut, some small voice in the back of my brain was shouting that this was a bad idea. That I should just… snap each disc in half before we could see what was on them. I tamped the instinct down. In what universe could electing to ignore potentially valuable information possibly be a good thing?

As the disc slotted into place and the DVD player booted up, I did my best to crush my fears and worries beneath the heel of my sneaker. And then the video began.

 _Mom!_ I perked up upon seeing the familiar face. _Dad! Komaru!_ My parents and my little sister, sitting together on the couch in our living room. A smile bloomed across my face, a balm for my fried nerves.

“Makoto-kun! It’s like a dream having you chosen to attend Hope’s Peak Academy,” my mom began. “I know you have what it takes to succeed over there!”

“I’m proud of you son,” my father said, his voice a little crackly over the video monitor. “Don’t overexert yourself.”

“Hey, big brother! Are you really watching? Do your best, okay?” _Komaru..!_

An encouraging message, meant to brighten my day and make the transition to my new school life easier. They chattered to me, smiling and happy, and for a moment, the tension in my heart eased. But then that sense of comfort was shattered.

The video froze, the picture being replaced by static, and the audio cut out. Suddenly, I wasn’t looking at the cheerful faces of my family anymore. The couch that they’d been sitting on reappeared, torn to shreds by what looked like the claws of a wild animal. The window behind them was in shards, glass strewn across the carpet, which was stained red with big splotches of vibrant blood.

My whole body pitched backwards in sudden shock and fear. In the darkness at the edges of the screen, the glowing eyes of Monokuma appeared--and then the video cut to black completely.

“Naegi-kun, newly accepted to the prestigious Hope’s Peak Private Academy..!” called Monokuma’s voice-0ver. “His family, wishing only to encourage him! But a terrible tragedy has befallen them… What in heaven could’ve possibly happened at the Naegi household? What happened to your family, Naegi-kun? If you want to find out… Graduate!”

The movie ended, and the DVD player opened, spitting the disc back out at me. I was rooted in place, kneeling in front of the monitor, my heart clattering around the walls of my chest and making my insides echo like a steel drum. I ached all over. My head pounded, my fingertips numb and tingling. _What happened? What happened to them?_ It was the only thing that I could think of, the only thought that careened through my mind at break-neck speeds, blocking out all else. The sound of blood rushing through my ears. Nothing else existed. My whole world had narrowed to a focal point.

_I have to get out of here. No matter what it takes. I have to get out!_

“Naegi-kun..?” A soft, hesitant voice tugged gently at me. “Naegi-kun, are you alright?”

_No. No, I’m not alright. I’m the furthest from alright that I could possibly be._

“Naegi-kun, what’s wrong?” Maizono’s hand was on my shoulder.

My senses returned to me. I looked behind me, to where everyone was crowded in the door of the A/V room, peering curiously down at me with varying degrees of concern.

“Did something happen?” Asahina asked.

I said nothing, just pointed dumbly at the cardboard box.

“Are those the movies that Monokuma was talking about?” Kuwata guessed.

I watched, unmoving, as they all fished their respective videos from the box and sat down in front of various monitors to watch them. I watched as the color drained from each person’s face. I watched, and did nothing, unable to bring myself to speak or stand or stop thinking horrible thoughts.

“Wh...What the fuck!”

“This is fake, right? It’s gotta be fake.”

“There’s no way it’s real! No way!”

“Ha...I can’t take th-this anym-m-more! Let me out of here!”

“...My dad…?”

“Mom! No way something bad happened to my mom, eh?! She’s too tough! Augh!”

“No way…”

I could tell by their reactions that everyone saw something similar to what I had. Nobody could hide their fear or confusion anymore. Except one person. In the middle of it all, she alone stood calmly.

“I see. So this is what he meant by ‘motive’...” Kirigiri murmured.

“It certainly complicates our little prisoner’s dilemma,” Celes observed. “There is far more at stake now.”

“Prisoner’s… dilemma?” Yamada said, looking queasy.

“The prisoner’s dilemma,” Celes elaborated. “The fear of a betrayal you cannot see is the most dangerous enemy to a fragile alliance. Each person benefits from acting against the interests of the group… Hmhmhm. How clever.”

“Anyone… could b-b-betray us,” Fukawa stammered, and looked around, wild-eyed.

“That’s… That’s the wrong way to think,” Ishimaru said, but he looked unsure of himself. “We’ve got to… to work together. No matter what may be happening… on the outside…”

“It’s funny that you of all people would say that,” Kuwata shouted, fists clenched tightly at his sides. “Trying to get us to let our guards down, huh? Trying to make us vulnerable?”

“N-No, of course not..!”

“Do you not understand that this sort of squabbling is exactly the kind of discord that the mastermind intends to sow?” Ogami demanded of Kuwata, her cool grey eyes looking angry and determined.

“Sh...She’s right,” Fujisaki squeaked. “I don’t know how he has this kind of power… But he _is_ a serial killer after all…” There were tear tracks on her face as she spoke.

“We should probably… tell each other what was on those videos, right?” Enoshima suggested, although she didn’t seem thrilled by her own idea.

Yamada was quick to cover his ears. “If I don’t listen to yours, I don’t have to tell you mine!” he exclaimed.

“It is not my nature to react to threats such as this,” Ogami said. “But still… I find myself… fearing whatever may have happened.”

“Let’s just… all calm down…” Fujisaki said hesitantly.

“Calm… down…” Maizono’s voice trembled as she whispered the words. She was ashen, her eyes unfocused, her frame curling in on itself the way a piece of paper might shrink when exposed to fire. Around us, everyone else was speaking in hushed voices to one another. “Calm down…”

“Maizono-san,” I said gently, suddenly finding what meager courage I had left. I had to be strong for her sake. “Maizono-san, look at me…” She glanced up at me, and then away again, her arms wrapping around her own body and gripping tight. “Maizono-san--”

“Don’t touch me!” she snarled, slapping my hand away from where I’d extended it to her. I started, jerking away, and she shoved herself up, propelling herself out of the room and sprinting away down the hall.

“Maizono-san!” I cried, scrambling to my feet.

“Maizono-chan!?” Asahina called.

“Leave her alone,” Togami sniffed haughtily.

“I--I can’t do that! I’m going to look for her..!” I heard a few people warning me not to chase her, but… I couldn’t just ignore her! Leaving the room behind me, I ran from the A/V room, trying to see where Maizono had gone. 

I managed to catch a glimpse of that silky blue hair as she disappeared into a classroom. The door shut with a _bang_ , and I wasted no time following her in, closing it behind me much more softly.

She was sitting at a desk, her hands in her lap, staring blankly at the floor. She didn’t look angry or afraid. There were no tears on her face. She was completely expressionless. Almost a mannequin, or a puppet.

“Maizono-san…”

“I’m fine,” she said automatically, not looking up from where her gaze was fixed on the floor. _How should I respond to such an obvious lie?_ I wondered, but then Maizono began to speak again. “How can anyone be fine here?” She laughed bitterly. “Why are we here? What did I do to deserve this?” She turned and looked up at me, and now there _were_ angry tears in her eyes. “I want to get out of here! I need to get out!”

“Maizono-san! Calm down!” I leaned in close and put a hand on each of her shoulders. “Look at me! I understand how you feel… But you can’t lose hope! Those videos _have_ to be faked! You’ve got to remember… Not to give in to despair!” I shoved away the afterimages of the video that played in my mind, and repeated the same words to myself over and over. _Calm down. You need to calm down. Calm down. Calm down._ “You just have to… to calm down. We’ll get out of here. I promised, remember?”

“But what if nobody’s coming for us,” she said hoarsely. “We’re all alone in here… While the world moves on. There’s no way out, and no help comes…”

“No! Remember, I _promised_ ,” I said, nearly begging. “I promised I’d get you out! No matter what it takes, remember?”

Her eyes snapped to me. “No matter what it takes,” she repeated. For a moment she was still, and then she lunged forward, throwing her arms around me and burying her face in my chest. A wracking sob shook her body. “Naegi-kun… Please save me from this awful place…”

“Maizono-san… I will…”

She wiped her eyes, gazing up at me through dewy eyelashes. “Can I really believe that? That you’ll find a way… by any means possible? You’re the only one I can trust, Naegi-kun…”

“Of course…” _If we’re together_ …

“If we’re together, we can make it through this,” she whispered. “That’s… what you’re thinking, right?”

“Yeah,” I said, my voice cracking. “You… really are psychic, huh?” I tried to smile at her.

“Just my intuition,” she said, shaking her head, her voice watery too.

She backed away from me, and then that smile that I loved so much returned to her face. It seemed a little forced, but… it was better than nothing.

“Maizono-san… I think you should go rest for a little bit. You’re looking kinda pale,” I suggested.

“I’m sorry for troubling you. I think you’re right… I’m going to go get some rest…” Maizono gave me a little bow and then headed for the dormitories, her feet dragging.

I returned to the A/V room, where it appeared that several people were arguing about whether or not they should have to share the contents of their videos.

“I do believe I am entitled to my secrets,” Celes was saying. “And besides… they’re none of your business.”

“You don’t need to know what was on my video,” Kirigiri agreed.

“Alright, fine, geez. It was just an idea,” Enoshima griped.

The argument died down, and we started to shuffle away towards our respective rooms.

“Hey, Naegi,” a voice called out to me.

“Oh. Hey, Enoshima-san.”

“Wanna hang out for a bit? Try to take our minds off things?”

“Oh, um. Alright, sure. You’re not going to try and convince me to tell you what’s on my video, right?”

“Wow, look how astute you are! Is your little diva friend starting to rub off on you? Alright, I won’t pry. We can just chill together… Oh, but I don’t want you to get the wrong idea or anything! When I say _hang out_ , I really do just mean _hang out_! No funny business, alright?”

“Funny… business..?”

“Yeah. You know, when guys wanna hang out, they usually have something specific in mind… but I’m not that easy!”

“Huh? You invited me! I’m not gonna do anything weird!” It felt a little insulting that she’d say something like that.

“I figured. You’re not that kinda guy, huh?”

“No, definitely not… But it must be tough, since you’re a model, right? I bet you get a lot of guys going after you…”

“Yeah, totally! You totally get me, right Naegi?”

“Um… I do?”

“I’m glad there’s _someone_ in here who gets me. You know, I’d rather be living homeless on the streets than in here, but at least I’ve got you!” She slapped a manicured hand onto my shoulder, giving me that too-sharp grin of hers.

“Homeless?! Isn’t that a bit of an exaggeration?”

“Nah. And I’d know, you know? I’ve done it before.”

“You’ve… been homeless?! And now you’re a model?!”

“It’s kinda a long story,” she said, waving her hands dismissively.

“Enoshima-san,” I hedged. “You say you’d rather be out there…” I looked at her sideways, that fangy smile and those cunning eyes. “You’re not thinking of doing anything drastic, are you?”

“Huh? Like kill someone? Definitely not. Do I really seem like the type?” She snorted. I scrutinized her carefully, and my long silence made her do a double-take. “Huh!? Are you really thinking about it?”

“Well, no… I guess you don’t seem like the type to kill someone.”

She leaned back away from me at that, folding her arms and arching an eyebrow. She smirked a little. “That’s what I thought. I totally don’t seem like the killing type. But I gotta say, Naegi… It’s pretty cute that you’re worried about me.”

“Cute, huh..?”

“Yep! Say, let’s hang out again sometime, alright?” She grinned at me once more.

“Ah… Sure, Enoshima-san…”

“Great! See you!” And she skipped away.

Blinking in confusion, I continued down the hall until I found myself in front of my room. _Enoshima-san gets stranger every time I talk to her, I think_ . Entering my dorm room, I collapsed on my bed. _I wonder what’s up with her…_

絶望

I hadn’t meant to fall asleep, but when the sound of my doorbell woke me up and I checked the clock, I found that several hours had passed. I had slept right through lunch, and it was nearly night time. _Who’s ringing my doorbell at this hour?_ I wondered.

Still, there was nothing to do but answer it, so I slid off my bed and opened the door.

“Ah, Maizono-san,” I said, and a wave of relief washed over me. “How are you feeling? A little better?”

She looked at me, and her gaze was hard. “Naegi-kun, can I come in?”

“Oh. Uh, sure.” I stepped aside somewhat dubiously, and she brushed past me into the room. I shut the door and turned to face her, the relief I’d felt upon seeing her starting to fade.

She walked over to the low bookshelf where the replica katana rested, touching it lightly.

“Careful,” I warned. “You’ll get that gold-leaf stuff all over your fingertips.”

“Naegi-kun.” She turned away from the katana. “I’m sorry for bothering you this late, but… To tell you the truth… I’m afraid.” It was then that I noticed that she was shaking all over, her face pale and sweaty.

“Maizono-san, what’s wrong?”

“Something strange just happened,” she said. “I… I was lying down in my room and… The door started to shake. I think…” She shuddered, clutching at her own shoulders in an attempt to comfort herself. “I think someone was trying to break into my room, Naegi-kun!”

“What!”

“Someone was trying to force the door open,” she insisted, on the verge of hysterics. “It was locked, and I think that saved my life..! I was so scared, Naegi-kun… I just lay there on my bed, waiting for it to pass… I was so scared.”

“Well… would it make you feel better to sleep here in my room?” I suggested. “Nobody tried to break into my room, so… Maybe you’d feel safer here. Besides, I’ve got that replica katana for self-defense!”

“H...Huh? Isn’t it against the rules..?”

“It’s against the rules to sleep anywhere other than the dorms, but… it doesn’t say you have to stay in your assigned room. So you can sleep here.”

“But… two of us sleeping in one room… might be a little awkward…” She blushed.

“Ah! No, I didn’t mean--uh, that was a bad idea! Sorry, never mind, forget I said anything!”

“No, I think it’s a good idea!” Maizono protested. “But maybe… If it’s not too much trouble… Naegi-kun, do you think we could switch rooms for the night? I think… I might feel a lot safer here.”

“Hm… Switch rooms…” I mulled it over for a few moments. “I think if it would make you feel better, I don’t have a problem with it. But are you sure you’re okay with me sleeping in your room?”

“I trust you, Naegi-kun,” she said, and her tone was serious, but she wore a determined smile. “You can sleep there.”

“If you say so…”

At that moment, I was interrupted by Monokuma’s voice over the monitors, announcing that it was 10 pm--night time.

“Ah, it’s night time already…”

“Alright, so if we’re switching rooms, I should head to yours now,” I said. “Oh, but first, let me show you this…” I stepped over to the door of the ensuite restroom.

“Naegi-kun..?”

“My door gets stuck,” I explained. “If you have to use the restroom, there’s a trick to opening the door. You have to lift and pull at the same time.” I demonstrated to her how to get the door open, and then had her try it until she mastered it. “There we go,” I said when I was satisfied. _Now, we should exchange keys…_

“Here’s my key, Naegi-kun. Read your mind again!” She smiled that warm smile of hers, and I chuckled nervously as I traded keys with her. “Naegi-kun… Please be careful, alright?” Her face was sober again. “Don’t open the door to anyone, and make sure it’s locked… just in case whoever it was… tries to break in again.”

“Don’t worry,” I assured her. “I’ll keep it locked. And you make sure to do the same, okay? Don’t open the door for anyone until it’s morning. Even if you’re sure it’s me, you should keep it locked.”

“Yeah… I’ll make sure. Thank you, Naegi-kun.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Yeah.” Her lips twitched upward. “See you tomorrow.”

I left my room, and heard the lock slide into place behind me. Making sure nobody was around to see, I ducked quietly into Maizono’s room and locked the door.

I shut the lights and sank into the plush pink quilt of her bed. The pillows smelled faintly of her perfume, that pleasantly floral scent. It was a lovely place to fall asleep.

絶望

Attention! It’s time for the Monokuma Theatre! Here’s a message from our beloved headmaster:

_This is the inside of a spaceship! We’re on a journey through space. Are you familiar with Noah’s Ark? That’s right! We’ve left the Earth behind us, and now we’re flying away! In here, we don’t have to fear strange neighbors, the oppressive police, drunk drivers, or arsonists! We don’t have to worry about air pollution or fossil fuels! And of course, there’s none of the anxiety of competitive entrance exams!_

_But even in the freedom of space, there are rules. Freedom exists only when supported by rules. Should you say you want to return to that no-good rotten Earth… Well. Just follow the rules. Get what I mean? Well then, let’s all serve the system together!_

_\--Headmaster Monokuma_

_絶望_

_ Ding dong, bing bong. _

The wake-up bell floated cheerfully through the school, followed by Monokuma’s morning announcement. I found myself reluctant to get up at first, and then I remembered where I was. I sat bolt upright.  _ That’s right, this is Maizono-san’s room. _

I hurried out of bed and slipped into the hall as quietly as I could, breathing a sigh of relief when no one saw me leave the room. I thought about knocking on my own door and asking Maizono how she passed the night, but ultimately decided that I’d get to speak with her at the breakfast meeting.

As I approached the dining hall, I noticed Enoshima, leaning against a wall and looking pensive.

“Ah, good morning, Enoshima-san.”

“Oh! Naegi!” She brightened up when she saw me, but the thoughtful look didn’t leave her face. “You know, it’s funny that you’re the first person I’ve bumped into this morning. I kind of wanted to talk to you.”

“To me? What about?”

“My intentions,” she said, her voice uncharacteristically serious. “And when I say I want to talk to you about it, I mean you alone.”

“Right, got it… It’s a secret. But what do you mean by… your intentions?”

“To tell you the truth…” She sighed through her nose, delicate eyebrows furrowed and greyish-blue eyes downcast. “I’m kind of fed up with all this. We’re Super High School Level students, so we tend to rush into things head-on… And I’m starting to wonder if it’s really okay to live like that…”

“Are you… thinking of quitting modelling?” I guessed.

She glanced up at me, tilting her head. “...Dreams are meant to change as you grow up, right? But… I’ve always just pursued the same thing. I’ve never really thought hard about what I  _ really _ want.”

“What you really want?”

“New opportunities… they come from change, don’t they? And… I’ve never let my dreams grow and change with me. I’ve been fixated. I put everything I had into that one little world. I feel like there could be so much more that I could be doing… and I’m just…  _ not _ . I don’t like that idle feeling. But… is it silly of me to start looking for a new dream now? When I’ve come so irrevocably far with this one?”

“No… No, I don’t think it’s silly at all. I’m still looking for my dream.” I remembered the conversation I’d had with Maizono, when she had said it would be nice if I found one. “If I haven’t found my dream yet and started pursuing it, then… there’s no way it’s too late for you to find a new one!”

Enoshima smiled at me, and it wasn’t her usual sharp-toothed grin. The dusting of freckles across her nose wrinkled. It was a real smile, yet there was a sort of sadness behind it--bittersweet.

“Yeah… maybe it’s alright to get lost… as long as you’re looking. Thanks Naegi. As a thank-you, I promise that if I choose to kill someone, it won’t be you!”

“Hey! Don’t say scary stuff like that!”

“Kidding, kidding.”

“Oh, but Enoshima-san, I’m curious… Why me? I mean, why did you choose me to talk to about this?”

She fiddled with the bow on one of her twin-tails, adjusting it although it didn’t really need adjusting. “Well,” she confessed, “I guess I sort of have a soft spot for you.” She met my eyes. “You’re the first person who ever smiled at me without expecting something in return for it, I think. When you smiled at me, it wasn’t the leer of a fan, or anything like that… it was like we were friends.”

I didn’t know how to respond to that at all. Enoshima seemed to understand that, though, because she gave me a friendly pat on the shoulder and then walked into the dining hall, giving me some distance.

_ You’re the first person who ever smiled at me without expecting something in return. _

I followed her into the dining hall, feeling flattered and somewhat confused.

“Good morning, Naegi-kun!” a loud voice proclaimed. “I was the first one here this morning!”

“Good morning, Ishimaru-kun,” I replied, not at all shocked.

“Eheheh… Good morning, Naegi-kun…”

“Hello, Fujisaki-san!”

“Morning!”

“Good morning, Asahina-san!”

I continued exchanging greetings with those who were already here. The group that was present--Ishimaru, Fujisaki, Asahina, and Ogami--all seemed like the type to be diligent students. Aside from Enoshima, who I felt was growing harder and harder to understand, it felt in-character that these were the people who arrived first.

Slowly, others trickled in, following an almost predictable pattern.

“Yo,” Owada said by way of greeting.

“Sorry I’m late!” Yamada said. “I was a bit lost in thought.”

They were those with something of a looser sense of time. And then finally, the people who had no problem making everyone wait for them.

“I guess I’m late,” Kirigiri said uncaringly.

“Whoops, haha! Slept in,” Kuwata said, shrugging sheepishly, not quite looking anyone in the eye.

“I didn’t get lost on the way in, I was under the influence of the Bermuda Triangle. It can have that effect on a person, eh?”

“We’re missing people,” Ishimaru said finally, after a decent amount of time.

Doing a quick head count, I agreed: “There’s only thirteen. We’re missing two.”

“Maizono-chan and Togami,” Asahina said.

_ Togami-kun seems like the type of person to make everyone wait, but… Maizono-san… She definitely seems like she’d fall under the ‘diligent student’ category, doesn’t she? _

“I think… I should go check on her,” I said, feeling suddenly apprehensive.

“It seems unlikely that someone as reliable as her would miss our breakfast meeting,” Kirigiri observed. “I’ll accompany you.”

“I… Yeah… Let’s… Let’s go!” My heart was racing in my chest as I fled the dining hall, the steady sound of Kirigiri’s steps behind me as she followed.

I arrived at my door as quickly as I could, and reached out to knock. Something gave me pause, though… I quickly brushed it aside and rapped my knuckles against the door. With a creak, it swung forward just a little, not resisting the force of my hand.  _ It’s… unlocked? _

I wrapped a hand around the doorknob, fear curdling in my gut like sour milk. I pushed the door open, and couldn’t help a choked gasp.

The blankets on the bed were rumpled, and the wall paper was torn in one spot with a big gouge mark. The replica katana was unsheathed, both parts scattered on the ground.

“M-Maizono-san?!” I hissed. I could feel Kirigiri’s presence over my shoulder, and when I turned to look, Togami was there too.

“What’s going on?” he asked. “I was exiting my room when I saw you come barreling down the hall like some sort of steer.”

“Maizono-san,” I repeated uselessly.  _ Where is she? _ I couldn’t see her… Which left one place. I stepped tentatively over to the restroom, and found the knob hanging by one screw, mostly removed. “Maizono-san.” I reached out and pushed the door of the bathroom open.

What awaited me was something I had never expected to see. Something I had never  _ wanted _ to see. It took me several moments to realize that the shrill sound that was stinging my ears was my own voice as I screamed, long and hoarse.

Painted scarlet with her own blood, there was Maizono, slumped lifelessly against the wall.


	3. Chapter 1: To Survive (Abnormal Days)

_ Ding dong, dong ding. _

A cheerful scale played over the loudspeakers, and then Monokuma’s voice crackled to life: “A  _ body _ has been discovered!” he crowed. “All students please make your way to the gymnasium!”

_ A body… _

“No…” I mumbled. “No, there’s no way…”

“Get up,” Togami said to me, and I realized that at some point I had collapsed backward, leaning up against the bed. “Let’s go.”

“She’s… She’s…”

“She’s dead,” Togami said, rolling his eyes. “Obviously. Nothing to be done about it. So move.” Kirigiri made no sign of disagreement, looking at me gravely.

So I got unsteadily to my feet, tearing my gaze away from--from Maizono.

Wordlessly, I allowed them to lead me to the gym. I was dimly aware that the other students were clustered around, following us, whispering harshly back and forth. It could’ve been seconds and it could’ve been years by the time we got to the gym; I wasn’t sure.

“Naegi-chi,” Hagakure said, nudging me as we all stood listlessly about in the gym. “What’s up, eh? What’d Monokuma mean when he said ‘a body’?”

“What kind of idiotic question is that,” Togami deadpanned.

“Who’s…” Asahina started, but seemed to quickly be putting together that there was only one person still missing.

“It’s a dream,” I said suddenly. “It’s got to be… She’s not dead. Any minute now I’ll wake up.” I rubbed at my temples, squinting, aware that everyone was looking at me with varying degrees of disdain or pity. “It’s not real…”

“Oh, but it is!” crooned Monokuma from the stage, and everyone whipped around to look at him.

“Did we check?!” I demanded. “Did we check for sure? I have to--”

Togami gripped me firmly by the elbow. “Stop,” he commanded. “She’s  _ dead _ . Nobody could possibly survive an injury like that untreated. The blood looked dry. She’s dead.”

“No…” I found myself moaning the word over and over, as if denying it enough times would simply make it cease to be. Like I could rewrite history. “No… No, no. No.”

“This is… This is no time for an assembly,” Ishimaru said suddenly. “Maizono-kun… What happened to her?”

“She was killed,” I spat, my vision blurring as tears sprang to my eyes. I pointed viciously at Monokuma. “By  _ him _ ! It has to be! He  _ killed _ Maizono-san!”

“I did no such thing,” Monokuma argued. “One of you simply decided to take advantage of the graduation clause, that’s all!”

“No…” Fujisaki said, hiccoughing sobs escaping her. “There’s no way… one of us…”

“We don’t even know that she’s really dead,” Hagakure protested. “Nobody’s  _ really _ checked, right? The only people who’ve even  _ seen _ it are Naegi-chi, Kirigiri-chi, and Togami-chi!”

“She is undeniably dead,” Togami repeated. “How many times do I have to say it?” He turned to Monokuma then. “You. Talk. You said the killer gets to leave, yes? So who is it?”

“No,” I interrupted. “There’s no way one of us is the killer…” I didn’t believe it. I couldn’t believe it.

“Aw, what’s wrong, Naegi-kun? You look like a pigeon ate your gatling gun! Ahahaha!”

“What..?”

“It’s all very simple! I explained it all already to you! Someone killed her so they’d get to leave!”

“None of us would do that,” I insisted. “Monokuma is lying! He has to be…”

“Nope. Not lying. And I’m sure the person in question knows very well about that.”

Instinctively, I looked around the room at the others’ faces, and they all did the same.  _ One among us… is really a killer? No… No way… _

“Monokuma. Tell us who the killer is.”

“Ah-ah-ah!” Monokuma chided. “You’re getting ahead of yourself here, Togami-kun! Remember, there’s another step.”

“The culprit must get away with their crime,” Celes reminded him. “Rule 6.”

“That’s right,” I remembered. “The culprit can’t get caught.”

“Well… what defines ‘caught?’” Fujisaki asked, her face blotchy with crying.

“I’ll give you a short amount of time to investigate,” Monokuma said, his tone implying that he thought this was very generous. “And then a class trial will commence!”

“Class… trial?”

“That’s right! A courtroom in session! You’ll argue back and forth about whodunnit, and then at the end, there’ll be a majority vote. If you get it right, good for you! A battle between the spotless innocent and the blackened culprit! The one whose heart was tainted by despair! Upupupupu!”

“The blackened,” I repeated, in a daze.

“That’s right! If the blackened manages to deceive you all, then they alone get to leave, and all of you will be punished for failing to uncover the truth! Of course, if they get caught out, then they alone will receive punishment.”

“And this punishment… is..?” Yamada began hesitantly.

“To put it simply?” Monokuma said. “Execution.”

“Execution!?”

“Wh...What? Execution..?”

“Zap-zap in the electric chair!” Monokuma cried gleefully. “Choke-choke on poison gas! Maybe I’ll tear your body apart like a paper plane in a hurricane!”

“If we make the wrong choice… We’ll all be executed!?” Ishimaru repeated, his face white as a sheet.

“Clever little chimpanzee, aren’t you!” Monokuma taunted. “That’s a good trick to know! The rest of you should be taking notes: how to subtly imply that you’re  _ not _ the killer! What an admirable skill.”

“This is… This is seriously messed up!” Enoshima suddenly said. “What you’re saying is completely insane! I won’t participate!”

“You won’t participate? In the investigation? In the trial?” Monokuma questioned, tilting his mechanical head to the side and bringing up a paw as if in thought.

“Hell no! Shut the fuck up about all this! I don’t care what you say, I’m not gonna play your sick game!”

“Do as you please,” Monokuma said, and shrugged.

“Yeah! Yeah, it’s  _ my _ turn to do as I please! You’re always walking all over me… Telling me I have to take part in this stupid thing… Well, I won’t! I won’t do your stupid class trial!”

“Your determination is certainly exciting.” In spite of his words, Monokuma looked unenthused and unimpressed, standing very very still, his words holding a deadly venom.

Taking advantage of his stillness, Enoshima marched over to him, and to my shock, she planted a spiked heel right in the center of his chest, pinning him to the gymnasium floor. Leaning in, she said to him, “There! Are you satisfied with yourself?”

“I should ask you the same question. Violence against Headmaster Monokuma is not allowed, you know! I won’t bend the rules for you!”

“Your rules can go fuck themselves,” she shrieked.

“Well then! This simply will not stand!” Monokuma shrieked back, little arms flapping. “I invoke the mighty summoning spell to protect me! Godly spear Gungnir, come to my aid!”

It all happened so fast. One minute, Enoshima was standing there, her boot firmly holding Monokuma down. The next minute, something whizzed by my ear, a silvery blur, and then Enoshima crumpled.

At least a dozen thin spears protruded from her body. She lay there silently, in shock, looking across her body, where blood oozed slowly from each wound.

“Wh… Why… me?” she whimpered pathetically.

“E...Enoshima-san! Enoshima...Enoshima...san..?”

There was no reply. Enoshima was motionless, her wide eyes glassy and unseeing.

“W-what…”

“No… No way…”

“That’s..!”

“What the… what the hell!?”

“You’re kidding, right?!”

“Is she dead?”

“I take the rules very seriously, you know,” Monokuma said, standing up. His fur was soaked in crimson, a puddle of blood growing beneath Enoshima’s corpse.

I had never seen a person die before, but the scene before me was perfectly clear. In spite of my lack of experience, I could recognize her death. I could see the way life left her body. I saw the shuddering final breath she took. It was a simple thing to look at. It didn’t seem real, and yet it was undeniable.

“Don’t act so surprised,” Monokuma went on. “It’s just death. That’s all. It happens to everyone eventually. It’s a fact of nature!”

“Ha. You’ve been searching for a chance to kill one of us from the very beginning, haven’t you,” Kirigiri said, her face a bluish-grey with an emotion I couldn’t identify. Rage? Terror? The former seemed more likely.

“What an awful thing to insinuate! Oh, well, now’s not the time to argue. It’s about time for you to start your investigation! It would be a shame if the trial started before you could gather up all your evidence. To help guide you a little bit, there’s something new in your electronic handbook!”

A little ding sounded from my pocket, and I pulled the device out. The tab labelled TRUTH BULLETS, which I had previously been unable to access, now glowed.

“It didn’t escape me that you sleuths are a bunch of amateurs,” Monokuma continued. “So I’ve provided you with a Monokuma File! It’s got a few technical details to help you out. And in case you’re  _ dying _ to know how  _ I _ know exactly what went down… it was all caught on the security cameras!”

“So you know the identity of the culprit,” Kirigiri said.

“Of course I do! How could I act as a fair and responsible judge if I couldn’t give an accurate ruling? Anyway, good luck with your investigation! I’ll see you in a bit for the trial.” Monokuma spun away, leaving the thirteen of us standing around in befuddlement.

For a short while, nobody spoke. Maizono… and now Enoshima… Their deaths were a shock. But that wasn’t all. Someone among us was a killer.

“Fukawa-kun, are you not feeling well?” Ishimaru asked suddenly, and I turned to see that Fukawa had pivoted to face the wall, covering her eyes with her hands and shaking.

“L-l-leave me al-l-lone,” she complained. “I d-d-don’t do w-well with blood, so I turned away when that i-i-idiot  _ gyaru _ b-broke a r-r-rule.”

“If you’re feeling sick to your stomach, you should--”

“Sh-shut up! I d-don’t want your crappy advice.”

“Now is not the time for pointless bickering,” Kirigiri said. “We have an investigation to conduct. That said… blindly distrusting everyone is just as bad as blindly trusting them. We need to cooperate.” She made eye contact with me as she said, “Who you trust and who you don’t is up to you.”

“Let us waste no more time standing here staring at this corpse,” Celes said.

“Don’t be disrespectful,” Asahina said, wiping an angry tear from her face.

“I did warn her,” Celes reminded her. “I told her that if she could not adapt, she would die. And would you look at that--I was right. You reap what you sow.” She smiled angelically, folding her hands neatly in front of her frilly skirt.

“That’s so cruel!” Asahina shouted. “Take it back right now!”

“Right now we should put our priorities in order,” Kirigiri said, holding up a gloved hand. “We need to unmask the culprit, or we will all face our deaths in this place.”

“She’s right, Asahina. We have no choice but to proceed.” Ogami put a calming hand on Asahina’s shoulder.

“No… choice…” Asahina mumbled.

“This is such bullshit,” Kuwata said through gritted teeth. “Execution? He thinks he can just kill us!?”

“No choice.”

Everyone whispered those same two words to one another, as if to rouse their fighting spirits.

_ That’s right… We have no choice. Even if we don’t want to… it’s the only way to survive! And… And I will get justice! For Maizono-san! I have to know… no matter how scary the truth is. _

“Is… is she really dead..? Enoshima..?” Hagakure asked, his usually half-lidded eyes wide.

“Are you stupid?” Togami scoffed. “Look at her. Do you think that’s survivable?”

His words pulled my gaze to Enoshima’s body like a magnet, and I fought the urge to vomit. The spears stoppered most of the wounds pretty effectively, but blood still dribbled from her, forming a puddle that glued her to the gymnasium floor. I put a hand in front of my nose to try and block the coppery smell.

“W...Wait… Give me a break! They’re really dead?!” Hagakure blathered. “It’s--It’s all real? No! No way! Someone let me outta here!”

“My senses are currently being rebooted, too,” Yamada said.

Fujisaki was still openly crying, and Ishimaru was holding back tears as well.

“This is… our reality now?!” Owada gritted out.

“Hmhmhm,” Celes laughed airily, with her mouth closed. “How interesting… Everyone should have a look at this Monokuma File.”

“Wh-what about it?” Fukawa demanded, still facing away from the group to avoid the grisly sight in the middle of all of us.

“Very strange, isn’t it? It appears that the place where Maizono Sayaka was killed… is the dorm room of one Naegi Makoto.”

“Whoa. Yeah, it… it does say that,” Asahina said, staring at her own handbook.

“So then…” Kuwata trailed off.

Slowly, everyone turned to look at me.

“Whoa, hey, wait a sec! You’ve got it all wrong!” I insisted. “I exchanged rooms with Maizono-san for the night because she was scared--”

Fukawa interrupted me. “Y-Y-You’re a stinking l-l- _ liar _ ! You k-k-killed her, didn’t you!”

“It’s much too soon to know if that’s the case,” Kirigiri said. “First we need to investigate everything. So, there’s the matter of the crime scene…”

“If it’s Naegi’s room, then he’s guilty,” Kuwata said, shaking his head. “Case closed.”

Ignoring him, Kirigiri continued: “We need to keep it preserved so that nobody can tamper with the evidence.”

“I can stand guard,” Owada volunteered. “I prolly wouldn’t be much help investigating anyway. That problem-solving stuff isn’t really my strong suit. I’ll leave figuring it out to you guys.”

“Whoever guards the room is in an advantageous position for destroying evidence,” Togami said. “I propose that we instate two guards to ensure that the scene remains undisturbed.”

“So be it,” Ogami said. “I shall stand guard with Owada.”

“Owada Mondo-dono and Ogami Sakura-dono in two-person cooperative play… This is truly the strongest possible guarding combination!”

“I ask you all to give your best effort to the investigation, for the sake of those of us who cannot participate.”

“It’s… it’s scary, but I’ll try, Sakura-chan,” Asahina said.

‘ _ Sakura-chan’? When did Asahina and Ogami get so close as to be on a first-name basis? _

“Are we done with this discussion?” Kirigiri inquired. “If so, then we should split up to investigate. From now on, we act alone to cover as much ground as possible, and then we’ll reconvene. We must find the culprit who killed Maizono Sayaka, or else… well. You all know. So, let’s give him a good fight.” With that, Kirigiri turned on her heel and left the gymnasium, gathering her hair up and tying it back in a ponytail as she walked.

One by one, students exited the gym, steps slow and listless--except for Ogami and Owada, who walked with vigor and purpose.

“Th-there’s no point inv-v-estigating. We know who did it already…”

“Well, let’s do what we can anyway,” Asahina suggested. “I mean, we don’t really know for sure if Naegi is the culprit…”

“I agree,” Yamada said. “We should do our best.”

“I can’t investigate anyway,” Fukawa argued. “If I see blood, I’ll f-f-faint.”

“Alright, well, maybe you should just stay in the cafeteria or something. C’mon, I’ll walk you over there.” As Asahina and Fukawa walked away together, I couldn’t help but admire Asahina’s resolve, and her willingness to make an effort with Fukawa.

“I don’t really see the point in investigation when there’s such obvious evidence,” Kuwata said, his voice full of exasperation. “But whatever.”

“Don’t you at least want to listen to what I have to say?” I pleaded with the few who were left in the gym, but Kuwata just shook his head at me and left.

_ Why would I, of all people, want to kill Maizono-san?! I’ve got to prove them wrong… or else we’re all dead. Not only that, but… for her sake. For Maizono-san. _

There were only two people left in the gym besides me, but I decided to speak with them after looking at the Monokuma File, in order to confirm what Celes had said. I selected the tab for TRUTH BULLETS, and then the page labelled MONOKUMA FILE.

_ The victim was Maizono Sayaka. The time of death was 1:30 am. The body was found in Naegi Makoto’s private shower room in the dormitories. Cause of death is a wound to the stomach from a sharp object. The right wrist is broken. _

As I read through the file, I was struck with a thought:  _ I wonder what would have happened if we hadn’t swapped rooms. _ A knot of guilt settled in my gut.  _ Would I be dead in her place? Would she still be alive? _

Pushing the thoughts away, I spoke to the first of the other two people still in the gym. “Fujisaki-san, don’t you want to help with the investigation?”

“Oh… Well, I would, but… I don’t want to leave Enoshima-san here all alone… it’s too sad. I think… she should have company.” She sniffled, her big hazel eyes even waterier than usual.

Meanwhile, the other person in the room was Hagakure, who was praying to all manner of deities: “Please, save me! Oh God, oh Goddess, oh Buddha, oh Space-Master, oh King Kai!”

_ It doesn’t look like Hagakure-kun is mentally prepared for an investigation… Was that last one a Dragon Ball character? _

Bidding Fujisaki and Hagakure goodbye, I left the gym and headed to the dormitories, feeling nervous and inadequate. Would I really be able to solve this murder? The murder of someone who was my friend?

I arrived at my room shortly. The crime scene. The door was already open, people milling around in the halls and throwing suspicious glances at the people around them--me most of all.

I found Ogami and Owada stationed right outside the ensuite restroom as promised. Owada was slouched against the wall, looking troubled, but Ogami was as stoic as ever, a reliable figure, sturdy and strong.

“Ogami-san,” I said, overcome with an urge to know her thoughts. “Do you… really believe that I’m the culprit?”

She closed her eyes contemplatively, and then spoke slowly. “Whether or not you are the culprit… is not for me to say. I will respect the conclusion that everyone else reaches.”

“I… see…”  _ That definitely sounds like she’s avoiding the question. _

“Hey, Naegi,” Owada said. “I was thinkin’... What if the culprit already got rid of some evidence? There’s a trash room here, isn’t there? With an incinerator…”

“Ah! That’s a good point, Owada-kun,” I agreed. “I think… Maybe I’ll go check there next.”

“Good call, kid. Y’know, on principle, I can’t forgive this killer. I can’t forgive anyone laying hands on a woman… My brother taught me to respect women! So whoever the kid is that did this to Maizono… I’ll beat ‘em up! I’ll beat ‘em to death!”

“What if the culprit is a girl?” I asked.

“The culprit… a chick…” he said, as if it were occurring to him for the first time. “Shit, I dunno. I guess we’ll cross that bridge when we reach it.”

Deciding that Ogami and Owada were doing an adequate job of guarding the scene, I turned to inspect whatever I could find.

Stepping up to the wall, I ran my fingers along the big tear in the wallpaper. A gouge mark, or a scratch--something sharp had been used to make this. Kneeling, I found scuff marks on the floor as well… And the bedclothes were rumpled, too.  _ The quilt in Maizono-san’s room was very neat… I think she folds them each morning… So why are these sheets so messed up? _

“Signs of a struggle…” I murmured aloud to myself. “Crap. I was right next door! I wish I’d heard it…”

“Don’t be too hard on yourself,” Ogami said. “Remember, our rooms are soundproof. You couldn’t have heard the fight that ensued.”

I sighed heavily. Ogami was right, but the knot in my stomach still clenched tighter.

Next I walked over to the low bookcase where the empty katana stand was. Of course the katana being moved was notable, but something else I noticed also stood out to me. The key to the room was lying innocently on the bookcase, with my name emblazoned on it clear as day.

_ Huh? The key is in here… So the killer didn’t have it. But if that’s the case, then how did they get in? _ Surely Maizono wouldn’t have unlocked her door for anyone. She had been terrified that someone was coming to kill her. But the door appeared undamaged… So how did the killer get access? I’d have to reason it out later.

“The replica katana,” I observed aloud, spotting it where it lay on the floor. It was unsheathed, and the sheath lay nearby. “That’s odd…” I picked up the sheath to look closer. A big scratch mark ran through its surface, and it was missing quite a lot of the gold-leaf coating.  _ Huh… Did someone grab the sword by its sheath? That wouldn’t make for a very effective weapon… _ Still, the sheath had to have been used in a fight; that scratch was clearly made by a blade of some sort, and the sword itself couldn’t have done it, since it was just a cheap replica. The placements of the spots where the gold had gotten rubbed off seemed suspect as well--although the shapes had been obscured, it seemed like they were exactly where someone’s hands might fall if they were holding the sheath.

I set the sheath back down and looked to Kirigiri, who was holding something odd.

“Uh, Kirigiri-san..? What do you have a lint-roller for?”

“I was thinking of asking you the same,” she mused, “but that would be folly, wouldn’t it? This doesn’t belong to you.”

“Um… No, it doesn’t. Did you find it here?”

“I did. It’s missing quite a lot of sheets… I believe it may have been brought here from the storage room.”

“Missing sheets? So… it was used?”

She levelled her icy gaze at me. “Well, it wouldn’t really make sense for it to be here if it wasn’t used. No, Naegi-kun, there isn’t a single strand of hair present.” Then, she threw a smug smile at me. “And that’s fair enough proof…”

“Proof? Of what?”

She set the lint-roller down on the desk. “I don’t believe that you are a killer, Naegi-kun. So be sure to defend yourself properly during the trial.” She glanced to the restroom door. “Now… I believe you should inspect that body next.”

“Oh… Alright.” I stepped over to the door, choosing not to wonder why I so obediently followed her orders.

I leaned in close to the door, touching the handle lightly. It was dangling by one screw, the other three having been removed. They were strewn across the floor, discarded.  _ So… Someone broke into here. I should try and figure out how they removed the screws… _

“How strange,” Kirigiri said, right behind me.

“I was just thinking the same.”

“Hm… I suppose the killer was trying to break into the restroom… But the boys’ restrooms don’t have locks. So why would something like this be necessary?”

“Well, it’s true that there’s no lock on the door, but it does get stuck. There’s a trick to opening it.”

“The door gets stuck,” she repeated. “I see… That’s very important. You should check the body now, Naegi-kun.”

_ She has a name, _ I thought, somewhat bitterly, but I did as she suggested nonetheless.

“Um… Excuse me, Ogami-san… Owada-kun… Would you mind if I went in there?”

They shared a glance, and then Ogami gave me a curt nod. They stepped aside, then turned to watch me as I entered the room. I took a steadying breath, my chest aching with grief. There she was.

Maizono was in a sitting position, slumped heavily against the shower wall. Blood was splattered against the wall, a streak of it from where she had fallen down. Her uniform was painted in scarlet as well, and something that was no doubt the fatal injury made me feel nauseous: the handle of a knife sticking out from her abdomen.

_ Oh… I recognize that knife. _ It looked like one of the kitchen knives I had noticed the previous day.  _ I’ll head to the dining hall to confirm that in a little bit… _

In the meantime, there was the matter of the body. Of Maizono’s body.

I knelt, careful not to put my knees into the pool of blood. The sticky mess of it was slowly congealing in the groutlines of the shower tile.

“Maizono-san,” I whispered, almost tempted to reach out and touch her, to make sure she was real. But I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Not yet. At least her eyes were closed--a small mercy.

Her legs were slightly askew in front of her, a result of sliding slowly to the floor. Nothing out of the ordinary there. But her right arm caught my attention. The wrist was mottled purple, puffy and limp. It was clearly broken, just like the Monokuma File said. Not only that, but there was a patch of something glittery--gold leaf from the katana.

Working on a hunch, I turned her hand over, moving gently, and found her palm completely clean.

I checked the left palm as well, and found the same result, although the pad of her index finger was stained red. As I moved her arm to get a better look, I spotted a few lines on the wall behind her. I pushed her arm aside as carefully as I could; it was stiff and hard to move. I draped it across her belly, above the knife embedded there.

Partially covered by her body were a few squiggles that I quickly recognized as Arabic numerals.  _ 11037..? _ One-one-zero-three-seven.  _ That’s… odd. _ And the red stain on her left index finger… Maizono had scrawled this message in her own blood on the wall as she lay dying. That much was clear. But what could it mean? It seemed like a string of random numbers, and not even in a familiar language.

I mulled it over, trying to come up with a reason for her to write in another language. Not only would Japanese have been simpler, but it would’ve been much easier for the rest of us to understand. Not that I was entirely clueless about English, but it was still tough to decipher.

_ Maybe… Could it be a secret code? _ I wondered. A cipher, perhaps, to ensure that only the right person could understand?  _ If that’s the case… It wasn’t meant for me, I don’t think… _ I felt a little pang of an unidentifiable feeling. Jealousy?

Brushing it off, I decided that I should talk to Fujisaki.  _ She’d be the most likely person to decode this message… _ But first, I wanted to go to the trash room.

_ The one who had trash duty… was Yamada-kun, right? Oh, but before I do that… _

I walked over to my desk and opened the drawer. There was the toolkit I had been given, still in its shrink-wrap.  _ So… My screwdriver wasn’t what was used to break the doorknob. _ I tapped my chin thoughtfully, wondering how the knob could’ve been dismantled like that.

“‘S that yer toolkit?” Owada asked from over my shoulder. “Haven’t used yours either, huh? The rest of us guys were talkin’ about it yesterday, while you were takin’ yer nap… Nobody’s even taken them out of the plastic wrap. Not a lot time to do construction work here, y’know?”

“Nobody’s unwrapped them?” I echoed.

“Well, at least, they hadn’t yesterday afternoon.”

“So if anyone’s toolkit is opened,” I reasoned, “then they opened it sometime between yesterday afternoon and this morning.” I turned to Owada. “Thanks, Owada-kun. That’s really important information, I think.”

“O-Oh. You do? Well, er, no problem.” He scratched at his neck, looking a little embarrassed.

Dismissing myself, I left the dorm room and walked out into the hall, where Togami was standing, a disdainful look on his face as he spotted me.

“Naegi,” he sniffed.

“Togami-kun, I know what you think… But I really didn’t do it.”

“She died in your room.”

“But I didn’t kill her! We just swapped rooms for the night--”

“You may not have struck the killing blow,” he interrupted, “but it’s still your fault that she’s dead.”

“...Huh?” His words were like a bullet to my heart.

“You switched rooms with her. She was killed in your room. So she’d still be alive if you hadn’t done that. Ergo, it’s your fault.”

I was stunned silent by his cruelty.  _ My fault… He’s right, isn’t he? It’s my fault… _

“I don’t believe that for a second,” Kirigiri said calmly.

“Then you’re more of a fool than I thought,” Togami replied.

“I believe that Maizono made a very stupid mistake, and that’s what got her killed. It wasn’t Naegi-kun’s kindness in letting her stay.”

“A stupid mistake..!” I started.

“Yes.” She looked me directly in the eye. “This is not your fault, Naegi-kun. I’m sure of that. Regardless of whose room it took place in,  _ someone _ would’ve wound up dead this morning no matter what.”

“Someone would’ve died… no matter what? What do you mean?”

She closed her eyes. “I’ll leave figuring that out up to you, Naegi-kun.”

“Why can’t you just tell me.”

“Because.” She opened her eyes again, and they bored into me, intense and bright. “If you don’t uncover the truth for yourself, you will be unable to accept it. You need to come to terms with what occurred here last night, and in order to do that, you must draw your own conclusions. I’ll be praying for your success. Good luck.”

She walked off, leaving me and Togami to stare at her in silent confusion.

“She has no idea what she’s talking about,” Togami finally said.

I didn’t reply. I had other things to do.

_ Alright. Now to go to the trash room… And I’d better talk to Yamada-kun, since he had trash duty.  _ Yamada was easy enough to find; he was down the hall a little ways, a contemplative look on his face.

“Ah, Yamada-kun…”

“Oh, hello, Naegi Makoto-dono! Why have you sought me out?”

“Well, I was just thinking… you have trash duty, right?”

“Why do you ask?” he asked, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. “Planning on stealing the key and burning up some evidence?”

“Wh--No! No, of course not! I was just thinking we should check the trash room…”

“Don’t tell me, Naegi Makoto-dono… You’re not planning on rooting through the girls’ trash, are you?!”

“What?! No! I’d never do something that weird and creepy. I just want to make sure nobody used the trash room to commit a crime…”

“Well, I’ve got the key to unlock the shutter that protects the incinerator. But, why do you want to be my friend all of a sudden? We haven’t reached that part of the plot yet! We still have to settle a mutual personal crisis, save a village together--”

“Wait,” Togami interrupted. “The shutter to the incinerator is locked, and can only be opened with a key..? How interesting.” He smirked. “It must be to make disposing of evidence more difficult. If a killer could simply waltz in and destroy whatever remains of their crime, all the thrill would be gone.”

“The thrill?” repeated Kuwata incredulously from where he was standing nearby. “What the hell’s wrong with you, man?”

“Yamada-kun, please. There could be important clues in the trash room,” I said, deciding to leave the task of chastising Togami to Kuwata.

Yamada nodded. “I suppose I can accompany you… Ah, but keep your distance! I don’t want to get murdered!”

“I’m not going to murder you,” I griped. “Let’s go.”

We arrived at the trash room, and he produced a shiny metal key from the pockets of his sweater. “Ta-dah! You know, this shutter reminds me of the time when the successor to the secret art of assassination was thrown in prison with a bad guy, and that girl who took care of them couldn’t say a word… And then the village was attacked by the Mohican army and he had to--”

“Please,” I said wearily, “just open it.”

“Alright, alright…” Yamada waddled up to the shutter gate, with its thick iron bars.  _ No way anyone could fit their body through those bars… Maybe an arm at most. The key really is the only way to access this room... Unless the hatch in the floor has a secret tunnel? _

The shutter opened with a ghastly screeching noise, and I walked forward. The incinerator at the back of the room was about ten meters back.

“Yamada-kun,” I called to him. “Did you turn this on at some point?”

“Well, for trash duty, of course,” he said. “But I always turn it off…”

“So why is it on now?” I asked nobody in particular. Indeed, the incinerator roared, orange flames licking upwards, just barely visible at the rim.

“Eh!? How could this have happened?” Yamada demanded of me, as if I should know. “The only way to turn the incinerator on is with these buttons, and only the person with trash duty has the key!” He demonstrated by pressing the big red STOP button, and the fire quieted and then died. Beneath the STOP button was an equally-large, green START button.

“Strange,” I murmured, and knelt. “Look at this… There’s glass all over the ground.” I picked up a big piece of it and found that aside from the broken edge, the unbroken part was perfectly smooth and curved, as if the item’s shape before breaking had been a sphere. 

“If you look closely, you may be able to see your own future in those pieces,” Yamada said wisely.

I tucked the bit of broken glass into my pocket.  _ I think I have some idea of whose this might be… _

“Ah, Naegi Makoto-dono, look!” Yamada exclaimed suddenly, pointing at the ground.

“Oh, wow. This is really important evidence… Good catch, Yamada-kun,” I said, and leaned over to pick up what Yamada had noticed: a burned and blood-stained shirt sleeve. Before I could grab it, Yamada snatched it off the ground and held it away.

“No way am I letting you get rid of this, criminal,” he said, and then peered more closely at it. “Though… it doesn’t quite resemble your hoodie.”

“Can I just see it for a second?”

“...Alright. But then you have to give it back!” he warned, and handed me the scrap of fabric.

It was a fragment of a white button-down, the blood-stained cuff unfolded and unbuttoned. It seemed to have been burned off the rest of the shirt at the elbow.

“Someone tried to burn the shirt they were wearing when they killed her,” I concluded. “But this sleeve was hanging out of the incinerator, and it didn’t get caught in the fire after it got burned through.”

“Why wouldn’t the killer simply put it all the way in the incinerator?” Yamada questioned. “And why didn’t they turn the incinerator off?”

“I think… maybe they couldn’t. You had the key after all, so they couldn’t access this room.”

“But… Naegi Makoto-dono… then how did the shirt get over here and the incinerator turn on in the first place?”

“I think I’m starting to put it together… Pun not intended,” I said, touching the broken shard of glass that rested in my pocket. I passed the piece of shirt sleeve back to Yamada. “Thank you, Yamada-kun. This has been really helpful. I’ve got to go now, though.”

I waved goodbye, and noticed that he suddenly seemed torn.  _ Maybe he’s starting to doubt that I’m the killer… Well, that’s good. _

_ It’s a shame I couldn’t keep that shirt sleeve and compare it to everyone’s clothes, but… I think that I might benefit from making a list of the people who wear white button-downs. _

I reentered my bedroom, greeting the ever-vigilant Owada and Ogami, and picked up the notepad off my desk, as well as a pencil that lay nearby.

_ Alright… People who wear white button-down shirts… Huh? _ The tip of my pencil was poised on the paper, preparing to write, but… I lifted the notepad and tilted it back and forth, seeing faint impressions in the paper.  _ Someone wrote on this? _

Remembering the trick I’d seen in various detective shows, I quickly made a rubbing of it by lightly sketching over the imprints with the blunt part of the pencil. A message took shape:

_ When you get a chance, please come to my room tonight, and we can discuss what we talked about earlier. Be sure to check the nameplates so you don’t get the wrong room. _

_ \--Maizono Sayaka _

My heart beat faster in my chest. Maizono had written this note? Who was it for?

Unsure of what it could mean, I turned to a new page and made a list of the people whose clothing matched the sleeve:

  1. Ishimaru Kiyotaka-kun
  2. Fujisaki Chihiro-san
  3. Kuwata Leon-kun
  4. Kirigiri Kyouko-san
  5. Yamada Hifumi-kun
  6. Hagakure Yasuhiro-kun
  7. Togami Byakuya-kun



I nearly added Celes as well, but then remembered that her sleeves, while white, were far more ruffly than anyone else’s and would thus stand out. Fukawa’s sleeves were blue, Enoshima, Owada, and myself had black sleeves, Asahina had red sleeves, and Ogami had no sleeves at all. Just to cover all the bases, I remembered that Maizono’s sleeves were blue as well.

_ So… There are seven people that that shirt sleeve could’ve belonged to. _

That was a significantly easier list of suspects to contend with.

_ I have a few more things to check… _ Once again, I left the scene of the crime behind, but as I did, something caught my attention. I remembered Maizono’s note: “Be sure to check the nameplates so you don’t get the wrong room.”

Maizono’s nameplate was the same as always, a cute chibi drawing of her. But…  _ Why is Maizono-san’s nameplate on my door?! _ I quickly checked the door to Maizono’s room--the one I had been staying in--and found  _ my _ nameplate on it.  _ They were… switched? For what purpose? And by whom? It certainly wasn’t me… and the only other person who knew we switched rooms was Maizono-san… _

The question was troubling. I decided to set it aside for now while I continued the investigation, but… it nagged at me, an insistent voice in the back of my head.  _ I’ll come back to that… _

Next, I decided to check the dining hall. When I arrived, I found Asahina and Fukawa sitting there as promised earlier.

“Ah, hey there, Asahina-san. Fukawa-san. Are you feeling a bit better?”

“Wh-why would you care..?” Fukawa asked sullenly.

“The cafeteria makes me feel a little calmer,” Asahina said. “I like to sit here and drink tea… That’s what Sakura-chan and I were doing last night, actually. Right up until night time started, and we had to leave, since the cafeteria gets locked.”

“Oh, yeah,” I recalled. “That’s right… At night time, the dining hall is inaccessible, and there’s no running water in the dorms either… Thanks for reminding me, Asahina-san.”

“Sure thing! I’m not really sure what that’ll help, but… I’m happy if it does!”

Leaving the chipper Asahina and the sulking Fukawa behind, I walked to the back of the dining hall and entered the kitchen. Sure enough, just as expected, there were five large knives hanging from a rack on the wall. There had been six before. One was missing.

_ Alright… So now there’s no doubt in my mind that a kitchen knife was the murder weapon. I’m glad I didn’t have to look too closely at it to figure it out… _

Walking back through the cafeteria, I paused, a question striking me. “Hey, Asahina-san… Did anyone come through the cafeteria yesterday, when you and Ogami-san were here drinking tea?”

Asahina hesitated, looking at me with reticence on her face. “Well…”

“Asahina-san, please. Tell me,” I requested. “There’s a knife missing. I need to know who had access to them.”

“I noticed that too,” she said quietly. “I saw that there was one gone…”

“Who could’ve come by and grabbed one? Oh! You can be my alibi!” I said, feeling victorious. “I never came through the cafeteria, so I couldn’t have grabbed the knife! Asahina-san, are you willing to vouch for me?”

She furrowed her brow. “I’m sorry, Naegi-kun, but… Just because I didn’t see you come in here doesn’t mean you’re innocent… I’m not ready to make any promises.”

“Oh.” My face fell. “Okay.”

“Sorry…”

Shoving my hands into the pockets of my hoodie, I moved along. I had one final destination in mind: the gymnasium.

Fujisaki and Hagakure were still there when I arrived. Fujisaki was standing in a corner, looking sorrowful, and Hagakure seemed to have calmed down a bit.

“Hagakure-kun,” I said carefully. “May I speak with you for a minute?”

“Eh? No, no, no… Let me out of here…”

“Hagakure-kun, it’s important. Does this look familiar to you?” I pulled the glass chunk out of my blazer.

“Oh, Naegi-chi, how long have you been standing there, eh? ...Huh..?! Hey, that’s mine!” he exclaimed. “Aw, man… I was doin’ laundry the other day and I left my crystal ball in the laundry room… I was gonna come get it later! Who broke it?”

“Well… I think it had to be the killer,” I explained. “I found it in the trash room, along with other evidence that they tried to destroy.”

“Eh? You know, this isn’t supposed to break! When I bought it, I was told it was miraculously unbreakable! The strongest crystal in the world! So how come it’s broken, eh?!”

“Um… It’s not even crystal, though. It’s glass.”

“Are you sayin’ I got swindled!?” Hagakure bemoaned. “Was it even previously owned by Genghis Khan, Napoleon, and George Washington?! Was I really tricked…?”

“Hagakure-kun, let’s set that aside for now. Are you absolutely sure this one is yours?”

“Yeah,” he said dejectedly. “No doubt about it. Someone stole it from the laundry room and broke it in… you said the trash room, eh? One hundred million yen in shards all over the trash room floor…”

“One hundred…  _ million _ … yen?” I repeated weakly.

“About two years’ of fortune-telling income,” he confirmed. “But that wasn’t much to pay for the power to unite the world with such a valuable artefact! And yet…”

I handed him the shard of broken glass, which he put into his pocket like it was something precious, and then I turned to Fujisaki.

“Hey, Fujisaki-san,” I said gently. “I’ve got something to ask you.”

“Something to ask me? What is it?”

“Well, Maizono-san left a message before she died… One-one-zero-three-seven. I thought that since you’re a programmer, you might recognize it as some kind of code.”

“Hmm…” She tilted her head back and forth several times, as if trying to visualize it. Finally, shoulders drooping, she said, “I’m sorry, I have no idea…”

“Oh… Well, thanks anyway. It’s a shame we can’t decipher her dying message, though… Written in blood… as if she wrote it with life itself.”

Behind me, Kirigiri’s voice called, “Do you always speak like an aspiring poet, Naegi-kun?”

“Eh? When did you get here?” I asked.

Before she could answer, another tone sounded out from the loudspeakers, accompanied by Monokuma’s voice: “Hey, I’m getting bored! We should start the show. The school trial that everyone’s been waiting for! Well then, would everyone please gather in front of the red doors on the school’s main floor! Ahahaha! I’ll see you soon…”

_ The red doors..? _ I remembered the horrific aura that had emanated from them when I first walked by them several days ago, before we’d even received the rules of the killing game… I felt my stomach churn.

I fell into step behind Kirigiri, who had turned on her heel upon hearing the announcement. My gait was jerky and uncoordinated with nerves, and we reached the doors all too soon. They were open, revealing an elevator.

“Heheh… You must be sh-shaking now that your crimes have been uncovered, r-r-right?” Fukawa taunted, leering.

“Now, now, let’s not make any decisions just yet!” commanded Ishimaru. “Once we’re there, we’ll make it very clear how Naegi-kun must be the culprit!”

_ They still really think it was me… _

“Upupupu! Everyone’s here! Wonderful! The elevator will carry all you bastards directly to the courtroom, so please board it now! I’m waiting for you downstairs!” Monokuma’s voiced called over the speakers.

“As expected,” Yamada said. “The trial room is underground… The location of the final battle between Naegi Makoto-dono and the rest of us…”

“A courtroom? That’s some serious preparation,” Owada observed.

“This trial thing is such a bother,” Hagakure said. “Naegi-chi, got any last things you wanna do before we bust ya for your crimes?”

“I’m sorry I didn’t help with the investigation…” Fujisaki said. “I wonder if Maizono-san really would’ve wanted us to doubt each other like this…”

“I wonder how that evil bastard who killed Maizono-chan feels right about now,” Asahina gritted out.

We all filed onto the elevator, and I noticed that everyone seemed to be giving me a wide berth. Everyone but one.

“Naegi-kun,” Kirigiri said to me under her breath. “I mentioned to you before that this mystery is yours to unravel. You have to accept the truth that you uncover. Are you afraid?”

“I think,” I murmured back, “that ‘afraid’ isn’t really the right word. But for Maizono-san’s sake, I  _ do _ plan on unravelling the mystery.”

The doors closed behind us and the elevator began to descend, deep into the belly of the school. My legs shook. My heartbeat sped up. The rough metallic sound of the elevator reverberated as we travelled downward.

The doors slid open as if in slow motion. Before us was a strange circular room, dimly lit, with high columns stretching upward to a faraway ceiling. The floor was a black and white checkerboard tile, almost making it feel like we were inside a funhouse. Arranged in a circle were several podiums, each of which bore one of our names, and behind the circle was a throne upon which Monokuma lounged.

He instructed us to stand behind our designated podium, and I did, hardly aware of my own feet moving. It was like we were arranged for a war council. Just by looking around, we could see each other’s faces. There was no hiding here. We could feel each other’s nervousness. The room’s atmosphere was oppressive, a weight on my shoulders that made breathing a struggle.

The curtain was about to open on this deadly courtroom. A deadly deception… A deadly betrayal… A deadly riddle… A deadly defense… A deadly vindication… A deadly faith… A deadly class trial.

絶望

“Let’s start with a simple explanation of the class trial,” Monokuma began. “The result of the trial is determined by your votes. If the correct person is chosen as the blackened, then they alone will be punished. However, if you make the wrong choice, the blackened will get to leave the school, and everyone else will be punished in their stead.”

“And the culprit… really is one of us?” I confirmed, still not wanting to believe it.

“Of course!”

“Alright. Everyone close your eyes! Mr or Ms Culprit, raise your hand!” Ishimaru commanded.

“Are you an idiot? No way is that gonna work,” Owada retorted.

“Excuse me,” Kirigiri said. “Before we debate, I have a question. What’s the meaning of… these things?” She gestured to two of the empty spots in the circle of podiums, where framed portraits of Maizono and Enoshima stood, their smiling faces crossed out with crudely-drawn exes.

“Wouldn’t it be sad to leave your classmates out of the fun just because they’re dead? Friendship should surmount life and death! Ahahaha!”

“Very well,” Celes said. “But what of the third empty seat? The one with no portrait?” The empty podium she spoke of was the one positioned directly in front of Monokuma’s throne.

“What of it? There are fifteen of you, but the circle can fit up to sixteen. That’s just how it’s built! Now, no more sidebars. It’s time to debate! I suggest you start with a summary of the case.”

_ And so it begins… Our debate to find Maizono-san’s killer… If I notice something important, I’ll have to speak up. I can’t be afraid, or let emotion get the best of me! For everyone’s sake! _

“Let’s start,” Ishimaru announced. “I posit that the victim was Miss Maizono Sayaka!”

“We know that already, eh..?”

“Further, the murder took place in Naegi’s room… Specifically, his shower room,” Togami added, ignoring Hagakure’s aside.

“So…” Fujisaki hesitated. “Was Maizono-san attacked while she was in the shower..? And killed without even having time to resist..? That’s awful…”

“Wait a minute there, Fujisaki-san,” I reminded her. “The condition my room was in clearly showed signs of a struggle. There was a big scratch on the wall, scuff marks on the floor, and the bed-covers were messed up. There were also things knocked off shelves.”

“A struggle… Between Maizono-san… and the culprit?” Fujisaki clarified.

“Of course.”

“S-Sorry,” she said. “I didn’t know… I was in the gym the whole time…”

“For now, let us assume she was attacked in the main room, and then fled into the restroom. She tried to escape, and the culprit killed her in the shower,” Celes reasoned.

Togami sighed. “That much is obvious just from looking at the scene. There would be no need for an explanation if everyone had participated.”

“I… I’m sorry…” Fujisaki said again, her voice trembling.

“We should tackle the topic of the murder weapon next,” Ogami said, nodding at Fujisaki in a forgiving manner.

“There was a blade piercing her stomach,” Ishimaru said, curling one hand into a fist and placing it under his chin in thought. “That’s the murder weapon!”

“I didn’t really get a good look from where I was standin’ guard. Was it a pocket knife or somethin’? Tch. What a bastard, carrying a weapon like that in a school…”

“No, Owada-kun, that’s not right,” I objected. “It was a kitchen knife. More specifically, one of the six big knives hanging on the wall in the kitchen.”

“The knife set was missing one since last night,” Ogami agreed. “It was definitely there when Asahina and I were sitting drinking tea… And then it disappeared.”

“Okay, but does any of this even matter?” Kuwata interrupted. “We already know Naegi is the culprit, right?”

“The scene i-i-is Naegi’s room… Do we really n-need more proof than th-that?” Fukawa said, not meeting anyone’s eyes and instead glaring at the front of her own podium.

“Let’s reach a conclusion after our argument. Otherwise, this trial would be pointless, no?” Kirigiri said calmly.

“The conclusion won’t change,” Kuwata griped.

“I disagree,” she replied.

“W-W-Whatever,” Fukawa said snidely. “S-So the weapon was a kitchen kn-knife. So Naegi st-s-stole it from the kitchen while it was empty and then he stabbed Maizono Sayaka with it… There’s n-n-no question that he’s our culprit!”

“You’ve got that wrong!” I argued, my voice rising a little. “Asahina-san can give testimony to that.”

“That’s true…” Asahina confirmed reluctantly. “When I went into the kitchen last night to make myself a cup of tea, all the knives were still there. I sat in the dining hall the whole time to drink the tea, and when I went to replace the cup, the knife was gone… It was definitely stolen while I was in the dining hall.”

“And did I enter the kitchen at that time?” I pressed.

“No… I don’t think so…”

“You don’t  _ think _ so?” Togami said, raising an eyebrow disdainfully.

“No! No, I’m sure. Naegi definitely didn’t go into the kitchen!” Asahina said, more forcefully now.

“See,” I said. “The knife went missing while Asahina-san was in the dining hall, and I never entered. So it couldn’t have been me who stole the knife!”

“S...So… what about this possibility?” Fukawa said. “Th-the swimmer idiot is an accomplice… Sh-she’s giving us false testimony.”

“Swimmer idiot!?” Asahina repeated, then she shook her head. “More importantly, why would you assume I’m an accomplice!?”

“While we’re on the topic, I have a question for the bear,” Togami said thoughtfully. “As long as we’re raising the possibility, if there  _ is _ an accomplice, are they also considered blackened?”

“I will not disallow anyone from participating in a killing, but the only one who can graduate is the one who physically carried out the act!”

“In that case, it doesn’t matter how much of a help you were. There is nothing to gain from being an accomplice.” Kirigiri murmured this thought as if she were thinking aloud to herself, one gloved hand brought to her chin delicately.

“So I guess there’s no accomplice, huh?” Owada said, scratching his cheek.

“But… we didn’t know that rule until just now…” Fujisaki reminded him.

“Ah, these interruptions are so bothersome!” Monokuma griped. “Look, there’s no accomplice this time, alright? I’ll give you that one as a freebie!”

“Anyway, I didn’t enter the kitchen and take the knife,” I said, filing away the information about accomplices just in case. “Isn’t that proof enough that I’m not the culprit?”

“So… who stole the knife from the kitchen..?” Fujisaki wondered.

“It’s possible it was Asahina-san herself,” Celes suggested. “After all, she has just confessed to being there.”

“N...No! It wasn’t me!”

Yamada asked, “Is there anyone who can corroborate that?”

“I can,” Ogami said.

“Sakura-chan was with me the whole time I was drinking tea,” Asahina agreed.

“Um…” Kuwata said, a confused scowl on his face. “Just to be double-sure… By ‘Sakura-chan’ you mean..?”

“Me,” Ogami growled.

“That’s what I thought…”

“So, what if either Asahina-chi or the Ogre slipped into the kitchen when the other wasn’t looking and grabbed the knife then, eh?”

“No, that’s not possible…” Asahina started.

“We spent the whole night together. There was never a time for either of us to do that.”

“The whole night, eh..?” Hagakure looked skeptical.

“The motive videos freaked me out,” Asahina admitted. “I was scared… Sakura-chan kept me company in my room through the night. She was a huge comfort to me! And that gives us both alibis.”

“Isn’t spending the n-n-night… against school rules?” Fukawa said, sneering.

“The rules only forbid sleeping outside the dorms,” Fujisaki said, her head tilted in thought. “There’s no restriction about sleepovers, so… It shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Shouldn’t be a problem!?” Ishimaru shouted. “There’s definitely a problem! A huge one! A boy and a girl spending a night together… It’s… It’s unwholesome!”

“But…” Ogami said. “We are both women.”

“I…” Ishimaru paused, then grimaced. “I… am so sorry. My mistake.”

“Dude,” Asahina pouted, clearly offended for Ogami’s sake.

“If it wasn’t any of you three, we run out of possibilities,” Celes said.

“No. There is still one possibility. Isn’t that right, Asahina,” Ogami disagreed.

“Well, yeah… While we were in the dining hall, there was one other person who came in.”

“And  _ why _ is this the first time we’re hearing of this?” Togami demanded, teeth gritted in frustration.

“I didn’t want to say anything, because… That person is… no longer with us,” Asahina hedged.

“Someone no longer with us..?” I echoed. “Was it..?”

“It was Maizono Sayaka-chan.”

“M...Maizono-san..?”

“It… it had to be her who stole the knife,” Asahina said, nodding slowly, eyes downcast. “There was nobody else who came in.”

“There is no other possibility,” Ogami confirmed. “She was also acting… a little strange. She proceeded straight into the kitchen without even greeting us. When she came back out, she said she was just getting a cup of water…”

“In short, Maizono-kun was the one who took the knife! The victim herself!” Ishimaru declared.

“She must have wanted it for self-defense,” I said. “She was… terrified.”

“That means the culprit must have wrestled it away from her during that struggle we earlier discussed,” Togami reasoned out. “In that case, the fact that you aren’t the thief means nothing. You could still be the killer.”

“S-See! Naegi-kun is the c-c-culprit after all…”

“So, Naegi Makoto-dono, you thought to lead us on a fool’s chase?! That sure is a high-level skill to have..!”

“N-No, Yamada-kun! Fukawa-san, it really wasn’t me..!”

“It’s still too early to decide that Naegi-kun is the culprit,” Kirigiri sighed. “In fact, I’m rather sure he isn’t. Because the culprit did something that would be most peculiar for the room’s owner.”

“Peculiar? The fuck about it’s peculiar?” Owada asked.

“There were no traces at the crime scene of something that by all means should have been there. Something that was removed with a lint-roller brought from the storage room… Naegi-kun, tell me: what was missing from the crime scene?”

“What was missing..? That would be… hair, wouldn’t it? I remember you said that there wasn’t a single strand of hair in my room.”

“So was the culprit destroying evidence?” Fujisaki asked.

“Exactly,” Kirigiri said. “The culprit used the lint-roller to clean up all traces of their hair from the scene, removing Naegi-kun’s hair as well in the process.”

“But if I was the killer, there’d be no reason to do that, since it’s my room,” I realized out loud, and perked up. “There would be nothing strange about finding my hair in my room, so that kind of cleanup wouldn’t be necessary!”

“Maybe you wanted to remove traces of the victim being there,” Celes suggested.

“Then wouldn’t removing the body be his first priority?” argued Kirigiri. “No, I’m certain that Naegi-kun wasn’t the one who attempted to remove evidence.”

“So… Naegi-kun really isn’t the culprit!” Fujisaki announced.

“Can we really decide such a thing based on something as small as a lack of hair?” Ishimaru asked.

“No, but that’s not the only evidence I have that should exonerate Naegi-kun. Try to remember the condition of the environment. We’ve established that Maizono-san was first attacked in the main room, and then fled to the restroom.”

“The culprit chased her into the shower and killed her there,” Owada affirmed.

“But could the culprit really have gotten into the shower room that easily?” Kirigiri’s words were directed to the group as a whole, but her eyes rested solely on me as she spoke. They were calculating eyes, and there was some unidentifiable emotion in them as well. “I think they would have encountered a problem trying to enter the restroom. Isn’t that right, Naegi-kun?”

“That’s right. The shower room door knob is enough evidence of that,” I explained. “It was broken. Someone took the screws out and removed the knob.”

“Why do that?” Fujisaki queried.

“The culprit wanted to remove the lock. It’s more proof that Naegi-kun can’t be the culprit. It’s yet another action that’s unreasonable for the room’s owner to take.”

“You’re saying he wouldn’t break the lock on his own door?” Kuwata asked. “How can you say that’s unreasonable, if it was the only choice he had? If the door was locked, that was the only way to get at her and finish the job.”

“Kuwata-kun, remember that the crime occurred in  _ my _ room,” I reminded him. “That’s why I’m a suspect in the first place, right? But the restrooms in the boys’ dorms don’t have locks.”

“So why couldn’t the door to Naegi-kun’s shower be opened?” Fujisaki wondered.

“My door gets stuck. Monokuma can confirm that.”

“That’s right, it’s just like he says! Super High School Level Lucky Student Naegi-kun is the only one with a door that has a trick to opening it! Ahahaha, how ironic!” Monokuma cackled.

“The culprit mistook the stuck door for a locked one,” Kirigiri said.

“Why would the culprit make that mistake?” Celes questioned. “It was well-known to all of us that the boys’ rooms don’t have locking restrooms.”

“There was something else very important that the culprit didn’t know. That’s why,” Kirigiri suggested vaguely. “Naegi-kun, you get it, don’t you?”

“The culprit… didn’t know they were in a boy’s room?” I said, furrowing my brow.

“To put it more accurately, the culprit didn’t know that Naegi-kun and Maizono-san switched rooms.”

“Trying to break a lock that wasn’t even there,” Togami tutted. “How pointless.”

“But would I, a person who knew about the door, ever act that way?” I pressed.

“Hm… I suppose not…” he muttered.

“If the culprit was someone who didn’t know the rooms were exchanged, then it really couldn’t have been Naegi-kun at all,” Fujisaki said.

“I have a question!” Asahina announced.

“Oh… You’re speaking now..?” Celes said.

“You don’t gotta act so disappointed.” Asahina folded her arms over her chest defensively. “Here’s what I don’t get: how did the culprit even get into the room in the first place?”

“Maybe Maizono dropped the key somewhere, and someone picked it up?” Kuwata suggested.

“No way,” I said. “Maizono-san was terrified. That’s why she asked to switch rooms with me. She’d never be that careless.”

“They could’ve picked the lock…” said Fujisaki.

“Or they got in the easy way,” Yamada countered. “Maybe they knocked, and Maizono-san simply let them in.”

I hesitated. I wanted to argue with him. Maizono had been scared to death, so why would she open the door to someone in the night? She agreed not to, after all. But something nagged at me.

“I agree,” Kirigiri said to Yamada, effectively snapping me out of my reverie. “I think Maizono-san let the killer in.”

“But… why would she do that?” I demanded, feeling the note of desperation in my voice, but unable to stop it. “She was so scared…”

“Unless her fear was a lie,” Kirigiri said simply.

“W...What are you saying! Why would she tell a lie like that?!”

“I know you don’t want to think about the possibility, Naegi-kun. But you’re the one who discovered the note in the first place, aren’t you?” She pulled a folded sheet of paper from her pocket and my heart dropped into my belly. She read aloud: “ _ When you get a chance, please come to my room tonight, and we can discuss what we talked about earlier. Be sure to check the nameplates so you don’t get the wrong room. _ Signed, Maizono Sayaka.”

“I… I found that on a notepad in my room,” I said. “I rubbed a pencil over the blank sheet and…”

“Ah, man, I’ve seen that on TV!” Asahina said excitedly. “I totally made a mental note to always rip the paper out before I write on it.”

“An old technique, but even the classics are sometimes useful. Well done, Naegi-kun. You may have a future as a detective.”

“I don’t understand it…” I said, defeated. “Why would she write a note like that..?”

“She wanted to invite a certain person in,” Kirigiri explained patiently.

“Being invited over by a Super High School Level Idol… Any man would jump at the opportunity!” Yamada declared. “Ah, except me, of course. I’m perfectly satisfied with women of the two-dimensional variety.”

“If someone was invited in,” Celes said, “I don’t believe they have anything to do with this case.”

“Eh? You don’t?”

“Would you like me to explain? Very well, here is my reasoning: look at what the note says.  _ Be sure to check the nameplates so you don’t get the wrong room. _ Now, if the recipient of the note did as instructed, surely they would have gone to Maizono-san’s room, where Naegi-kun was staying the night, wouldn’t they?”

“Not so,” Kirigiri argued. “Naegi-kun, I’m sure you noticed it, didn’t you?”

“The nameplates…” I pondered. “The nameplates on my room and Maizono-san’s room were switched. Maizono-san’s nameplate was on my door--the room where she was staying--and my nameplate was on Maizono-san’s door, where I was staying.” I closed my eyes in thought. “But… I don’t understand why that happened…”

“So even if the person who got the note did as they were told,” Fujisaki said, “then they probably still went to where Maizono-san was.”

“Naegi-kun, did you switch the nameplates?” Kirigiri asked me.

“N-No..! And since Maizono-san and I were the only ones who knew about the room switch… it had to be her.”

“We can also reach that conclusion from the wording of the note,” Kirigiri brought up. “She specifically said to check the nameplates. There would be no reason to do that if she didn’t know they had been moved.”

“But…” Fujisaki began. “Why would Maizono-san switch them?”

“She wanted to invite someone in without them realizing it was Naegi-kun’s room,” Kirigiri said decisively. “And she succeeded. That much is clear when you look at the broken restroom door knob; they clearly thought they were in a girl’s room.”

“What did she have to gain by keeping the exchange a secret?” Asahina asked.

Kirigiri’s gloved hands rested in a neutral position on her podium, and her face was unreadable as she made a recommendation: “In order to understand that, we must first understand exactly what happened after the person she invited arrived. The answer lies there.”

“In all likelihood,” Ishimaru said, “the person she invited in attacked her after they entered…”

“Well, yeah, but the real question is  _ who _ ,” Owada replied.

“There was a struggle before the murder occurred,” Celes recalled. “Perhaps the key can be found in the details of that struggle?”

“Precisely,” Kirigiri said.

“Come to think of it,” Ogami said, “there was a practice sword on the floor of the crime scene. That’s most likely related.”

“You’re right, Ogami-san,” I said. “That practice sword was in my room for self-defense. I think the attacker used it to break Maizono-san’s wrist.”

“How can you know that her wrist was broken with the sword?” asked Kuwata.

“There’s something gold and sparkly on her wrist,” I explained. “I believe that it’s the gold-leaf coating from the katana. That stuff sheds really easily, and I think that her wrist was hit with it, and that’s why the gold stuck to her.”

“I see, I see… I feel that we’re coming closer to the truth!” Yamada exclaimed.

“Okay, let me solve all the riddles in one go then, eh?” Hagakure said. “Here’s how it went, from beginning to end! So, the struggle began when the culprit got their hands on the practice sword. They grabbed it, unsheathed it, and then struck at Maizono-chi with it!”

Yamada picked up Hagakure’s train of thought: “That’s when Maizono Sayaka-dono’s wrist got broken…”

“S-S-So she panicked and put up a f-fight,” Fukawa added. “She t-took out the kitchen knife she w-was hiding, and…”

“The culprit managed to snatch it from her hand,” Fujisaki filled in.

Ogami concluded: “And she was killed.”

“There we go. That’s it, eh?” Hagakure smiled triumphantly.

“Hold on just a minute,” I said, the gears in my head turning. “That… can’t be right. There was a scratch on the sheath of the sword, from something sharp gouging it. The first strike couldn’t have been made with the sword unsheathed, because then there wouldn’t be a scratch mark on the sheath.”

“Are the scratch marks from the kitchen knife?” Fujisaki asked. “That’s the only sharp object at the scene, right?”

“Don’t play guessing games with us, Naegi!” Owada barked. “Give us a straight explanation!”

“Well, you can’t really attack with a sheathed weapon… It would be too cumbersome. So… I don’t think the sword was used to make the first attack.”

“Huh? Is there a third weapon?” Fujisaki suggested.

“Imagine this,” Kirigiri interrupted. “You are attacked by a person wielding a knife. There’s a sheathed replica sword nearby, so you pick it up to defend yourself… But you don’t have time to unsheath it because the knife is coming at you. So you grab it and hold it up to block the blow.”

“That would certainly create such a scratch mark!” declared Ishimaru.

“So… you propose that the sword was used in self-defense against an attack with the knife,” Ogami remarked.

“Exactly. And that’s what happened. You may have noticed the imprints in the gold paint on the sword’s sheath. That would be from grabbing it like so…” She held up her fists and mimed holding onto a horizontal bar. “...And blocking a hit.”

“So the culprit discovered the knife upon entering Maizono-kun’s room, took ahold of it, and attacked her with it! And Maizono-kun brandished the sword to protect herself!” Ishimaru described the scene with accompanying gestures, and then put his hands down, seeming queasy from the reenactment.

“That’s not possible,” Kirigiri said coolly. “Maizono-san never touched the sword, aside from being struck on the wrist. Isn’t that right, Naegi-kun?”

“Right,” I agreed. “Her palms were totally clean. In other words, she couldn’t have touched the sword, because the gold paint would have come off on her hands.”

“Maybe…” Fukawa said slowly, as if piecing it together. “Maybe she w-w-washed her hands in the s-s-sink..?”

“And when do you propose that she did that? In the middle of the attack?” Togami scoffed.

“She definitely couldn’t have washed her hands,” I began, and was interrupted by Fukawa.

“Wh-wh-why are you arguing with me!? Is it because I’m ug-g-gly?”

“Wh--No! Remember, Fukawa-san, the water in the dorms is turned off at night time,” I reminded her. “She couldn’t have washed her hands, even if she  _ did _ have time before she died. According to the Monokuma File, her time of death was around 1:30 am. Night time.”

“O-Oh… I didn’t know… I h-h-haven’t taken a sh-sh-shower here yet…”

“Fukawa Touko-dono hasn’t… showered yet!?” Yamada said, looking scandalized. “We’ve been here for… for days!”

“I d-d-d-don’t l-like tak-k-king showers, okay-y-y?!” she stammered, her face going scarlet. “Y-Y-You of all p-people have no right to j-j-judge me! You smell like an apple-snail!”

“Was that praise or an insult..?”

“I think it was pretty clearly an insult, Yamada,” Kuwata deadpanned.

“Anyway,” Ishimaru interjected. “If Maizono-kun never held the sword in her hands, then that means the culprit alone used it. But… If that’s the case, then… the person who made the scratch marks using the knife…”

_ No… _ I thought.  _ No way… _

“Maizono herself,” Kirigiri confirmed.

“But… we’ve already established that the person who attacked first… was the person with the knife,” Fujisaki said hesitantly.

“So the person who attacked first… Kehehe… Of course. It was Maizono,” Togami said, snickering.

“M...Maizono-san..?” I said weakly.

“So now you see,” Kirigiri said, not meeting my eyes. “Maizono was not a simple victim in this case.”

“She was an assailant. She planned to commit a murder of her own,” Togami agreed. “That’s why she took the kitchen knife. I see what you were saying, Kirigiri, when you said that her fear was a lie…” He turned and looked at me down his pale nose, glasses flashing and eyes cold and cruel. “She was using you.”

“Come to think of it,” Celes mused, “Maizono-san  _ was _ the one who suggested the room swap, was she not? Due to that supposed ‘fear’ of hers? Hmhmhm… Or perhaps it was so that once she committed her crime, she could push the blame onto Naegi-kun. Switching the nameplates… It all makes sense.”

“Isn’t that plan a little dangerous? Couldn’t Naegi Makoto-dono simply tell us about the room switch? That would result in her getting caught out.”

“Is that so?” Togami said rhetorically. “I’m not sure that our softhearted Naegi is capable of throwing Maizono to the wolves like that. That’s probably why she chose him as her room-change partner.”

“A-A-And,” Fukawa added, “not to m-mention that sh-she was a Super High School Level Idol. Who are you more likely to b-b-believe? A n-n-national treasure? Or some n-n-nobody wh-who got in through sh-sheer luck?”

“She seriously planned all that? Chick’s cold-hearted…” Owada muttered.

“But her plan resulted in failure,” Celes reminded him. “She must have hesitated in her attack, allowing her intended victim to get the advantage.”

“W-Wait a minute!” I cried suddenly. “This… It can’t be true! No way would Maizono-san betray me like that!”

But a small voice inside me was saying,  _ Is it really betrayal if you made a promise? You swore you’d get her out of here no matter what it took… Would you have gone back on that promise if she tried to pin the blame on you? _

“Naegi-kun.” Kirigiri’s voice cut through the haze in my mind clearly. I focused on her, trying to hold onto the sound of her speaking, thinking that maybe her logic would settle my soul. “Now is the time to concentrate on solving the puzzle. You have the sequence of events now. You have to come to terms with the truth.”

I remembered her words to me earlier--that if I didn’t solve it myself, I could never accept it. I was starting to see what she meant… I had to take control of the debate for my own sanity. I had to solve the mystery…

“Th...There’s another clue to go over…” My voice was hoarse. “The dying message that Maizono-san left…”

“Dying message, eh..?”

“Yes,” Kirigiri agreed. “A message she scrawled on the wall as she took her last breaths.”

“One-one-zero-three-seven,” I recalled. “Written in Arabic numerals.”

“I guess it would make sense for a national idol to be familiar with other languages, at least a little…” Yamada decided.

“But… why would she write that?” Fujisaki asked. “Can we really be sure it was her? What if it was the killer?”

“It was definitely her,” I said firmly. “There was blood on her left index finger, and the lines were pretty weak… like it was taking all of her strength. Plus, it was hidden behind her body, like she was trying not to let the killer see it…”

“Why wouldn’t she want the killer to see it?” wondered Fujisaki. “It doesn’t seem like a code… so what’s incriminating about it?”

“It must have some sort of clue about the killer,” Ishimaru said. “Her right wrist was broken in the struggle, so she wrote it with her left… And it took all of her strength, as you said, Naegi-kun. It must be important!”

“11037… What could Maizono-chan have been trying to tell us?” Asahina asked.

“Ah!” Yamada exclaimed suddenly. “I’ve got it!”

“What? What is it?” demanded Kuwata.

“Well, as the Alpha and the Omega, naturally I’m familiar with a few languages myself! I may not be fluent, but I am adept at recognizing characters in English--”

“Get to the point,” Kuwata groaned.

“Very well, very well. If you look at the numbers assuming they aren’t numbers, it’s clearer. They’re letters! They’re letters of the English alphabet.” Yamada put his hands on his hips in victory. “I’ve done it! My little grey cells are tingling now...”

“Letters..?” Fujisaki echoed.

“Now that you mention it,” Ogami said, “there is a faint connecting line between the two ones… It looks more like an N.”

“N-zero-three-seven still doesn’t mean anything, though,” Asahina said.

“Let me ask you this.” Kirigiri held up a hand as if to say  _ pause _ . “If you were leaning against a wall and trying to write something on a vertical surface behind you, with your non-dominant hand… What would it look like?”

“The letters would probably come out at the wrong angle,” Asahina reasoned.

“Right. Specifically, upside-down,” Kirigiri agreed. “Rotate the numbers 180 degrees.”

“L-E-O-N,” Asahina said brightly, her eyes wide. “It spells ‘Leon’!”

“Kuwata-kun,” I said, rounding on him. “Isn’t that  _ your _ name?”

“H-Huh?” Kuwata said, jumping a little. “M...My name? That’s… That’s just a coincidence.”

“Hardly,” Kirigiri scoffed.

“The fuck are you even talking about? This is just a stupid theory. Who qualified you to declare me the culprit, huh? Where’s your evidence?”

“If you aren’t the culprit, how come you tried to destroy evidence?” I demanded.

“Wh-?!”

“Yamada-kun and I found a blood-stained piece of a burned shirt sleeve in the trash room, Kuwata-kun. A white button-up sleeve, just like the kind you wear!”

“There are a ton of us who wear white button-ups!” he retorted, hands gripping the podium.

“That is true,” Fujisaki said. “I wear one too…”

“Can we really condemn Kuwata Leon based on a piece of shirt that could have belonged to anybody?” Ogami questioned.

“There’s another detail that makes it clear,” I announced. “Crystal clear, in fact. Beneath the buttons to activate the incinerator was a crystal ball, shattered into pieces…”

“My crystal ball… Smashed to smithereens,” Hagakure bemoaned.

“And the reason it’s there is obvious to me now,” I continued. “The culprit stole it from where Hagakure-kun left it in the laundry room, and used it to turn on the incinerator! He probably went to the laundry room first to try and wash out the blood, and that’s where he found the ball.”

“The incinerator can only be operated using the switches within the trash room,” Yamada summarized. “Only I had the key that unlocked the iron grate protecting it.”

“Right, Yamada-kun. But you know, the iron bars are spaced widely enough that an arm could fit through them… Or an intact crystal ball!”

“Are you saying that the culprit turned on the incinerator by reaching out with the ball?” Asahina asked. “And then they dropped it, and it broke..?”

“Not possible!” Yamada argued. “It’s at least ten meters from the shutter to the incinerator.”

“You couldn’t reach in and press the button,” I agreed. “But if you’re equipped with a ball… Well, I think a throwing distance like ten meters should be nothing to someone with a talent like the Ultimate Baseball All-Star. Isn’t that right, Kuwata-kun?”

“That’s right,” gasped Asahina. “All he’d have to do is wad up the bloody shirt and throw it into the incinerator… then throw the ball through the bars and turn it on!”

“And remember, Yamada-kun,” I added, “you said you always turned the incinerator off, and yet it was on when we found it! That’s because there was only one ball, so the culprit couldn’t turn it off once it was on again. That’s my answer.”

“D...D...Don’t make me laugh!” screamed Kuwata. “I’m not the fucking culprit! Your deductions are completely wrong, you stupid, lying sons of bitches!”

“So you still won’t admit it,” Kirigiri said, sighing through her nose.

“Of course I won’t! I object! I object to this slander of my character! You don’t have any fucking evidence! This isn’t over!”

“It is!” I shouted at him. “It’s over! I’ve unravelled the mysteries… And this is what they gave to me!”

“It’s bullshit and I refuse to acknowledge it! Everything you’re saying is just hypothetical! There’s no concrete evidence! I’m getting framed--”

“So then show us your toolkit, Kuwata-kun,” I commanded, and that shut him up.

“My… toolkit..?”

“The killer must have used the screwdriver in a toolkit to remove the door knob. The one in my room is unopened… So the killer should’ve used their own, naturally! If you’re innocent, then show us your toolkit, still sealed in its plastic wrapping.”

“We mentioned yesterday that nobody’s used theirs yet,” Owada remembered. “So… If yours is opened…”

“This is… stupid. It’s stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid…”

“It seems he has no counterargument,” Togami sighed. “How disappointing.”

“So this is the end,” Celes said. 

“It seems you’ve reached your conclusion,” Monokuma cheered. “Go ahead and use the levers on your podium to vote! Oh, and don’t even think of abstaining--you’d get punished for sure! Upupupu!” As he laughed, I locked in my vote, selecting Kuwata Leon, the Super High School Level Baseball All-Star as the blackened. “The votes are in,” cackled Monokuma. “Let’s see… And it looks like everyone’s got it! The blackened who killed Maizono Sayaka-san was none other than Kuwata Leon-kun!”

“H...Hey… Wait…” Kuwata began.

“I can’t believe it…”

“Did he really..?”

“You fucker..!”

“I didn’t have a choice!” he exploded. “She invited me over to talk about my musical career, and then suddenly she came at me with a knife! It was self-defense! Any of you would’ve done the same!”

“That stopped being a valid claim when you went to your room, retrieved a screwdriver, and dismantled her door to finish the job,” Celes pointed out. “You had plenty of time to stop. You wanted to kill her.”

“N...No…”

“I’ve had enough,” I said, my voice harsh and my eyes stinging with sudden tears. “Let’s stop this already.”

“Are you really alright with that?” Celes asked. “Your precious friend Maizono-san was killed.”

“I… I don’t blame Kuwata-kun,” I managed to say. “And I don’t blame Maizono-san either. I blame  _ him _ !” I pointed venomously at Monokuma, who blinked his robotic eyes at me in innocence. “We shouldn’t be fighting each other!  _ He _ ’s the enemy!”

“Oh, did your sense of justice finally awaken?” Monokuma mocked. “How silly! Justice is what causes wars, you know…”

“Shut  _ up _ !”

“Anyway, we should get to the execution,” Monokuma said, and mimed checking his wrist for a watch.

“Please… No…” Kuwata moaned.

“I won’t hear any excuses. Murder is murder, and murderers get punished. And I’ve prepared a very special punishment indeed, for Kuwata Leon, the Ultimate Baseball Player!”

“No!”

“Let’s give it all we’ve got! It’s punishment time!”

It happened nearly in slow-motion. A collar and chain descended from the ceiling and clamped around Kuwata’s neck. Throttling him, it dragged him backwards and away from us, whipping his ragdoll body around and fastening him tightly to a pole with a racketous clinking. He looked pale and dizzy from the motion, his arms and legs restrained as he stared down the barrel of a baseball pitching machine.

With a heavy chugging sound, the pitching machine roared to life, and a single baseball rocketed from it and thudded dully against his abdomen. He grunted, unable to dodge the blow or block it. Another baseball flew from the machine, this time striking him in the face, and I saw a white shard of tooth go flying. Another ball, and then another, bouncing off his body as his skin turned purple with bruises and spatters of blood flew from his nose and mouth. The pitching machine fired again and again and again, the baseballs coming in greater speed and multitude, and soon it was shooting dozens of them in the span of a minute, hundreds of blunt projectiles flying through the air, an unrelenting automatic fire like a machine gun.

Cacophonous music blared, and I blocked my ears with my hands, shutting my eyes tight so I wouldn’t have to see anymore, but I could hear bones breaking as Kuwata’s body was pelted.

It felt like hours. Surely it was only minutes, but time seemed to drag on and on, my heart stumbling over its own rhythm and my forehead sweating buckets. The unbearably loud music slowed and faded, and I opened my eyes hesitantly, one at a time.

Kuwata’s body was unrecognizable where it hung limply against the pole. Hundreds of blood-stained baseballs littered the floor.

I could hear people behind me crying and stammering. Yamada, Fukawa, Hagakure, Fujisaki, Asahina, Ishimaru all sobbing… When I glanced around, even the more stoic ones, like Ogami and Kirigiri, seemed pale and afraid.

“I… I can’t take it anymore,” Fujisaki said, letting out a shaking sob. “I don’t want to do this… I can’t..!”

“Y...You bastard,” Owada grimaced. “What could you possibly gain from something so cruel?”

“Gain?” repeated Monokuma. “Despair. That’s all. Do you hate me for it? That’s justifiable, you know. But I’m not the bad guy here! If you all had just been able to live together in harmony, this wouldn’t have happened… But poor Maizono-san was just too desperate to see those friends of hers again! How pitiful! Ahahahaha! Oh, but once you discover the truth of this school… Well, I’m sure you’ll realize that it’s bliss in here.”

_Those friends of hers,_ I thought. _I remember… She mentioned them. They’re like family to her… They were her dream._  
Monokuma disappeared, and left the rest of us standing there in silence and sorrow. The grief hurt my chest. I felt like my heart may be bleeding. The room was so, so quiet. After a long, long time--maybe a half hour, maybe more--we started to shuffle towards the elevator, our steps slow and clumsy, our faces weary.

“Naegi-kun,” Kirigiri murmured to me. “Before we go back, I need to talk to you…”

“Talk to me..?” I said. “About Maizono-san, right?”

“...Huh. I didn’t think you’d guess it so easily. But do you remember what I told you at the beginning? That you must solve the case on your own?”

“Yeah, I remember. You wanted me to understand Maizono-san’s betrayal by myself, right? She made a fool of me… I trusted her…”

“It’s true that Maizono-san tried to frame you,” conceded Kirigiri. “That’s an inescapable truth. But… I think that she hesitated. I think she didn’t truly want to do it. Thoughts of you were running through her mind even as she died.”

“Thoughts… of me?”

“It’s why she wrote her dying message. I have no proof, and yet I’m sure of it. She wrote that message not out of spite for her killer, but in the hopes that it would exonerate you. She wanted us to know that you were no killer, Naegi-kun. She wanted to protect you.”

“Please don’t say foolish things like that… We have no way of knowing.”

“You don’t have to agree… But it’s what I believe. She was lost. She didn’t have her heart set on it. On killing another person, or on blaming you for it. But… I think you need to move past it. You need to accept it and move on. That’s why--”

“No,” I interrupted. “No, I won’t.”

She seemed surprised as we made our way toward the elevator. “...No..?”

“I will never, ever get over it,” I said resolutely. “Not her death, or Enoshima-san’s, or Kuwata-kun’s. I’ll keep them with me for the rest of my life. I won’t move on without them.”

“...You’re… choosing a much more difficult path,” she warned me, not unkindly. “You will suffer if you refuse to let go.”

“I’m willing to suffer. I’ll never forget about them. I’ll never let go of the pain of losing them.”

She smiled, a small, soft, hesitant thing. “I look forward to seeing you succeed.”

We filed onto the elevator with everyone else.

“Oh,” she said. “Naegi-kun, there’s one more thing I want to ask you now.”

“What is it?”

“When I said I wanted to talk to you… you guessed immediately what it was about. How did you know I wanted to talk about Maizono-san?”

The elevator doors slid shut, and I smiled back at her. “Well…” I said. “I can read minds. I’m psychic.”

Her eyes widened a fraction, her body going still with surprise.

“Just kidding,” I said, and laughed, a little wryly. The elevator began to ascend. “I just have pretty good intuition.”

PARTICIPANTS REMAINING: 12


	4. Chapter 2: Weekly Shounen Despair Magazine (Normal Days)

I was in agony. The sharp burning pain spread through my abdomen like fire, the heat of my own blood as it poured overwhelming in its intensity. My vision was gone, my mouth open in a wheezing moan, my entire world centered on one point--the point where the knife had been plunged into my body. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t speak, couldn’t think. I couldn’t drag myself out of the blinding, deafening fog of pain that I was in.

And then I was awake, sitting bolt upright in the darkness in my room, the ghosts of that agony still sending bolts of fire through me. I was gasping for air, feeling the press of the knife into my gut, the hard shower tiles behind my head, the scent of blood filling my nose, my heart hammering a merciless beat. I clenched my hands, my fists closing around the tangled bedsheets, my body sweating, and I curled in on myself as I tried to slow my breathing and the adrenaline coursing through me.

My eyes slowly adjusted to the dark dorm room, and my body collapsed backwards onto the bed, recovering from the nightmare.

_ Maizono-san… _ I pressed a hand to my mouth to try and stifle the little sob that erupted from me, my eyes stinging as tears began to well up. I wiped them away as they appeared, and my crying turned into dry, choking hiccups. My chest spasmed uncontrollably, and I curled onto my side.

I’m not sure how long I lay there, images of Maizono flicking through my brain, watery and distorted. Eventually, the morning announcement played, and I wondered if I had blinked even a single time in all those minutes or hours.

I pulled myself from the bed, my body aching with fatigue and my mind numb and gray. I swayed on my feet in front of the bathroom door. I had to brush my teeth. Monokuma had said that he’d fix things, but… What if that was a lie? What if when I opened the door, something horrible was behind it? Was I sharing a room with a dead girl?

I took a deep breath and reached for the handle. Inside the restroom, I was relieved to find that all evidence of what had happened here had been removed.  _ Maizono-san’s body… Where did he take it? _ The question made bile rise in my throat, so I forced it away. There wasn’t a speck of blood left anywhere in the room, but the image burned itself into my mind and wouldn’t leave.

_ She’s really gone… _

I brushed my teeth and trudged out into the hall, knowing I had to meet the others in the dining room.

“I’m sorry I’m late,” I said.

“Ah, Naegi… Are you… alright?” Asahina asked carefully.

“I was just thinking about coming to get you!” Ishimaru declared.

“Ah… Sorry…”

“I must ask, Naegi-kun! Was the room… clean? It would be troublesome to have to sleep next to a corpse!” he continued.

“Christ. You’ve got no idea what the word ‘tact’ means, do ya?” Owada said grouchily.

“My room is clean,” I confirmed. “It’s empty… Like she was never even there.”

“If it’s difficult to sleep there,” Ogami suggested, “perhaps you should spend some nights in Maizono’s room?”

“No… That would be even harder, I think. And besides, I… I don’t want to turn away from her death. Nor the others’.”

“Try not to get too down, Naegi,” Asahina said. “I’m sure we can get out of here as long as we work together.”

Togami sighed through his nose, tilting his head away sniffily. “Hm. Such hollow words.”

“Huh?”

“Working together means nothing. Someone got killed. The seal has been broken, and now the next killer will have an easier time. Murder is no longer so far removed from reality to us. Everyone now knows it’s a possibility, waiting in the shadows.”

“Maizono Sayaka… Sh-She’s the one who ignited that spark,” Fukawa said.

“If we don’t want there to be more victims,” Asahina said, “we just have to band together to fight the mastermind.”

“You’re losing the big picture.” Togami pushed his glasses up his nose.

“The mastermind behind this possesses much greater power than we initially suspected,” Celes elaborated. “He managed to take over Hope’s Peak Academy, which must have been heavily guarded. He also managed to make modifications to the building. He has the resources to develop something as complex as Monokuma, and he can even drop a large amount of food and necessities on a daily basis. And on top of it all, that execution… It’s all so elaborate. It’s impossible to think we’re dealing with a simple common criminal. He’s going to be a very dangerous enemy to resist.”

“In that case, what is the best course of action?” Ogami asked.

“We just need to follow this place’s rules,” Togami replied. “Anyone who really wants to leave just needs to deceive everyone else.”

“N-No…” said a quiet voice.

“Hm? What did you say? Speak up,” commanded Togami.

It was Fujisaki of all people who was speaking. “I don’t want to die…” she said, weeping. “But… I don’t want to live if it means I have to kill another person again to do it…”

“Kill another person… again?” Hagakure repeated, his voice slow and hesitant.

“What do you mean by ‘again’?” Celes prompted, looking curious.

“Well… Kuwata-kun died because we all voted for him!” Fujisaki exclaimed, her face bright red and streaked with tears. “It’s the same as if we had killed him ourselves!”

“But… If we didn’t vote for him, we all woulda died,” Asahina pointed out. “Would you have preferred to die, Fujisaki-chan?”

“Listen to Asahina Aoi-dono,” Yamada said gently, nudging Fujisaki. “You shouldn’t beat yourself up over that. It’s just plain masochistic.”

“Fujisaki-san,” I said. “You’re not the one to blame. None of us are, not even Kuwata-kun or Maizono-san themselves. It’s all because of Monokuma. He’s the one who forced us to vote. If we tried to resist, who knows what would’ve happened? He may be using words like ‘trial’ and ‘vote,’ but it’s the mastermind who killed Kuwata-kun. We shouldn’t hate ourselves… The only person we should hate is him.”

“Excuse me, everyone!” The high, obnoxious voice of the bear himself then played over the loudspeakers. “Please assemble in the gym at your earliest convenience! Ahem!”

“What could that be about..?” Asahina wondered out loud.

“Best not to ignore it. Let’s go,” said Kirigiri, and just like that, we all fell into step behind her, heading for the gymnasium.

Just like in my bathroom, the body of Enoshima had been cleared away, though a little less thoroughly; my eyes lingered on a dark smudge that had been missed, the only remaining evidence that a person had died in that spot.

“Right!” Monokuma sang, springing up on the stage. “Good morning, you bastards! Everyone bow! We’re going to do some warm-up exercises!”

Obediently, Ishimaru bowed, and then held his arms out to his sides and spread his feet apart. He followed along as Monokuma began to dictate exercises. Everyone else simply stared, but Monokuma focused solely on Ishimaru, clearly choosing to ignore the silence from the rest.

“Exercise is good for the soul!” Monokuma cheered. “The body starts to rot when you stay indoors, after all!” 

“What is your business with us,” Ogami demanded. “You cannot have called us here simply for radio exercises.”

“Don’t make fun of radio exercises!” he screeched in response. “You’ll make the radio exercises cry! But no, I didn’t. Obviously I don’t have that much free time on my hands! I have an announcement: since you’ve gotten through the trial, a whole new world is now open to you! So, feel free to explore! The world beyond the school trial is waiting for you!”

Leaving us with that unclear explanation, Monokuma disappeared.  _ A new world..? _

“Maybe it’s a way out!” Asahina said excitedly.

“The chances of that are very low,” Celes replied.

“Well, if we don’t check it out we’ll never know!” Owada responded.

“For the time being, let’s split up and investigate! We’ll reconvene in the cafeteria when we’re finished!” Ishimaru announced.

After nodding our assent, we all disengaged with one another and wandered out into the hallway. It didn’t take long for us to figure out what Monokuma meant by ‘a new world.’ Right beside the gym entrance was a flight of stairs leading up to a second level of the school, which had previously been blocked off with a shutter. Now, the shutter had been lifted, and I mounted the steps with a modicum of unease and weariness.

Upstairs, the lighting was a soft, cool blue. Beside the staircase which I had just ascended, there was another staircase that led even further up, but this one was blocked off by a grate just like the other had been.  _ I suppose… We’ll have to pass another class trial for that to be unlocked. _ The unpleasant thought wormed its way into my mind and I gritted my teeth against it.  _ I guess we’ll never get further upstairs then _ , I thought fiercely.  _ There will be no more trials. No more murders. _

I ducked into a few empty classrooms, and in most of them, found nothing of interest. In one, chalk writing was scrawled across the blackboard:  _ REALITY IS NOT EVERYTHING _ . I shivered a little, leaving the room quickly and finding myself in front of a set of double doors with an anchor painted on them. A sign above the doors read POOL.

Passing through the doors, I found myself in a common room with tiled floors. There were also two doors along the far wall, one marked FEMALE and the other MALE.

“Naegi!” Asahina shouted, and I flinched a little at the volume. Fujisaki was there too and flinched as well, but Celes was still and silent, merely arching an eyebrow as Asahina continued to speak. “Naegi, did you know!? There’s a pool here! A pool… A pool! Right on the other side of those changing rooms, it’s a pool!”

“Ah, I see--”

“And that’s not all! There’s plenty of training equipment here too! When Sakura-chan finds out, she’s gonna be so happy!”

“The second floor has brought with it quite a few new amenities,” Celes said. “Our living space has widened, which is a gift in itself as well. Perhaps a trial every now and then isn’t such a steep price to pay. Hmhm.”

_ Does she… realize what she’s saying? _ I wondered, and then decided to shake off her words.

“Fujisaki-san, what do you think?” I asked, turning away from the bubbly Asahina and calculating Celes. “Are you going to try the pool out?”

“Oh… No, I don’t really like to wear swimsuits…” she said. “But, you know, Asahina-san said there’s a bunch of exercise equipment in there. Maybe I’ll train my body a little… I’d kind of like to get a bit stronger.”

“Get stronger, eh?” I echoed.

“But… I don’t quite have the courage to go into the changing rooms…” She flushed red again and looked down at her feet, seeming ashamed.

“I guess I don’t blame you… although it’s something of a strange fear,” I muttered, looking over to the changing room doors. Mounted across from them on the ceiling was what looked like a massive gatling gun. Surely it couldn’t be real, but it was intimidating nonetheless, so her reticence was understandable. It would be quite scary to be in that thing’s line of fire.

Deciding to check out the pool, I approached the changing room marked MALE. I jiggled the handle a little, but the door didn’t budge.

“Be careful, Naegi,” Asahina warned. “You need to scan your electronic student handbook on the card-reader to get in. If you try to enter the changing room for the wrong sex…”

“You get riddled full of holes!” Monokuma finished for her, cackling wildly.

“Gah! Where did you come from?” I demanded.

“No matter! What’s important is that Asahina-san is right on the money,” Monokuma said, tapping his nose. “To unlock the changing room’s door, just swipe your electronic student identification card across the card-reading device! To enter the boys’ locker room, you’ll need a boys’ handbook, and vice versa for the girls’!”

“What if I opened the door to the girls’ locker room and let Naegi in after me?” Asahina wondered out loud.

“Wh--I would never come in there!” I insisted.

“Any filthy pervert who attempts such a depraved act will be punished! Only one student is allowed into a locker room per card-reader swipe. No mercy! That gatling gun on the ceiling will open fire! Tatatatatata!”

“And I assume the same will happen to anyone who borrows another student’s handbook,” Celes mused.

“Er… I hadn’t thought of that. But you’re darn right!” Monokuma paused for a moment, whirring, and then I heard the chirping noise of my handbook in my pocket. “The rules have been updated! Now none of you bastards can get away with any funny business… My brain is made of 100% pure cotton! That’s why I’m such a genius!”

“‘The act of loaning a student handbook is forbidden,’” Celes read out loud. “Well, that solves that. Though I’ll say that I doubt anyone would have been eager to loan their handbook out anyway. It would certainly spell trouble for the lender.”

“You’re all creative. I’m sure you can come up with more efficient ways to stir trouble. Bye, now!” And Monokuma waddled away.

“I was feeling so good until he showed up… Maybe I’ll go for a swim to calm my nerves… Fujisaki-chan, Celes-chan, Naegi, wanna come with me?”

“There is nothing I detest more than getting my face wet,” Celes said simply.

“I… I think I’ll pass this time,” Fujisaki said, still shooting nervous glances at the gun on the wall.

“I might join you next time,” I assured Asahina. “For right now, I want to continue exploring.”

Bidding the three girls goodbye, I swiped my handbook across the card-reader next to the door of the boys’ locker room. With a clicking noise, it swung open, and I found myself in a moderately-sized room full of exercise equipment. There were all manner of things--ellipticals, stationary bikes, chin-up bars, and more. A shelf full of dumbbells of all different weights sat under a mirror. A large square carpet covered most of the floor, and on the walls were a few posters--primarily of scantily-clad girls, pictures likely clipped out of magazines.

I ducked my head into the attached pool, and was surprised and impressed by its size.  _ Whoa… I bet that pool would put an Olympic-sized one to shame. _ Beyond the pool on the far side of the room was a row of lockers that were far taller than myself.  _ Probably for kayaks or other sports equipment… _

I moseyed back through the boys’ locker room, noting that Celes, Asahina, and Fujisaki had all gone. I wandered out into the hall and further down, finding a large set of heavy oak doors labelled LIBRARY. Inside were four people.

“Kirigiri-san.” I greeted her first out of instinct, and then quickly nodded to the other three as well, not wanting to seem rude. “Yamada-kun. Togami-kun. Fukawa-san.”

“For a library, there is an inordinate amount of dust here,” Kirigiri observed, hardly acknowledging me. “And the lighting is lacking as well. It’s far too dim to get any reading done… What a shame.”

Glancing past her, I noted that Fukawa and Yamada seemed to be bickering about something.

“ _ Obviously _ there’s no m-m-manga here,” Fukawa snapped. “Th-This is a  _ library _ . Y-Y-Your amateur pornography d-d-doesn’t belong here.”

“You have no idea what you’re talking about! My doujinshi--”

“I know ex-x-xactly what I’m talking about. Th-There’s no way anything drawn by a p-person with a face like  _ yours _ is w-w-worth reading.”

“Judging the quality of the work based on the face of the artist is disgraceful!” Yamada retorted. “Besides, what you see before you is nothing but the skin that disguises my true self! My real form is quite different, so you’ll find it impossible to lower my HP with a psychological attack like that!”

“W-What a worthless speech…” Fukawa sneered.

“Fukawa Touko-dono,” Yamada continued, “aren’t your very own works akin to light novels themselves?”

“D-Don’t be ridiculous! Don’t p-p-put my romance literature together w-with your smutty garbage! Manga is nothing more than a jumble of letters… And light novels can barely even be called prose!”

“I bet you’re saying such things because you’re secretly mad about Boys Love, aren’t you?” giggled Yamada.

“Anime, manga, doujinshi, light novels, Boys Love… It’s all such trashy culture,” Fukawa spat. “Argh… I get sick j-j-just talking about it! I think I’m going to throw up!”

I blinked rapidly and took a step away from them.  _ I think those two are the scariest people in this place… _

“Togami-kun, what do you think of this library?” I asked, desperate to tune out Yamada and Fukawa.

“It’s… Intriguing,” he admitted, his eyes flitting to a door near the back of the room. “Though for reasons I’m sure would be beyond you.”

“Beyond me, huh…” I tried my best not to be irritated. “So, what’s that door at the back? The one that’s kinda squashed between those two bookshelves?”

“An archive. I’ve already checked through it. There’s nothing there that would be of interest to someone like you.”

“I guess I’ll pass, then,” I said grouchily.

Wandering over to where Kirigiri was hunched over something, I brightened almost immediately.

“Is that a laptop?”

“Yes, but… It’s broken. It wouldn’t start up,” Kirigiri said, her gloved fingers tapping uselessly at the nonresponsive keys.

“Oh…”  _ I shouldn’t have gotten my hopes up. I doubt that we’d be able to email someone for help, after all. That would be a pretty stupid oversight on the part of the mastermind. _ “What’s this?” I asked, and pointed to something sitting beside the laptop. Kirigiri’s glance flickered down to it, and there was something of a subtle shift in her expression. It was barely visible, but her eyebrows twitched a little, as if in frustration or confusion.

“A letter. Why don’t you read it, Naegi-kun?” She straightened up and passed the letter to me.

The wax seal was broken, and there were smudge marks through the dust that caked the envelope.  _ So she’s already read this… _ With surprise, I read aloud the writing on the outside of the envelope: “Hope’s Peak Private Academy Head Office..?”

“It’s been here for a very long time,” Kirigiri observed. “See all the dust?”

“Yeah… You know, is it really okay? I mean, should we be opening someone else’s private mail?” She arched an eyebrow at me, looking disdainful. “Okay, okay. I guess we have no choice…” I slid open the envelope and found a piece of thick stationery inside.

_ An announcement from Hope’s Peak Private Academy’s head office. For many years here, we have given our undivided attention to advancing the state of humanity the world over. During our long history, using government-approved traditional educational facilities, we have sent many graduates into society, where many of them have made great advancements in their respective fields. _

_ However, we are sad to announce that the curtain is coming down on our glorious history. It was a difficult decision to make, but given the recent circumstances, it’s necessary to enforce a temporary shut-down. That said, this is not the end of Hope’s Peak Academy. _

_ In the near future, as soon as the situation has been resolved, we plan to reopen our doors and reinstate our educational facilities. _

_ Finally, to each and every one of you who have supported us and given us your best for many years, we offer our deep and sincere appreciation. _

_ Sincerely, _

_ Headmaster _

The name of the headmaster was redacted, blacked out with a stripe of dark ink. Something odd flared in the back of my mind, like a memory was trying to drag itself forward.  _ What’s the headmaster’s name again? I feel like I knew this… _ I remembered the letter I had received when I was initially accepted into Hope’s Peak. It bore two signatures: one from Kizakura Koichi, the talent scout, and one from the headmaster… I reached for the memory, but it didn’t come. My head filled with fuzzy static, and I felt suddenly disoriented, like I had stood up too fast and gotten a rush. Thinking about it made me uncomfortable, so I set the thought aside.  _ I don’t know why I can’t remember the headmaster’s name… I’m sure it was on that letter… But that’s not something to worry about right now. _

“Kirigiri-san, do you understand what this letter is saying?” I asked.

“It appears that Hope’s Peak Academy stopped serving as a school some time ago. The letter is dusty and old, so I’m assuming it must have been at minimum a year ago.”

“A year! There’s no way that’s true. It can’t have closed down business that long ago… We’ve only been here a week and a half at most, and I never saw anything in the news about it being shut down.”

“If the school were shut down, then that would explain how the mastermind made use of the empty building, and why there are no other people here,” Togami mused. “Perhaps this is all his doing. If he can build such incredible execution machines, and he has the funds to keep this place functional… Well, it seems that there’s nothing he can’t do. An admirable opponent indeed.”

“There’s another thing I don’t understand,” I continued. “Here, where it says there was some sort of  _ situation _ that forced the school to close down. It’s so vague… What could’ve happened?”

“I don’t think we can be certain of anything at this point in time…” Kirigiri said, touching her chin in thought.

_ Could that ‘incident’ be a potential motive for the mastermind? Might it be at all related to this killing game? _ I wondered.

“Let’s return to the cafeteria and go over what we’ve found with the others,” Kirigiri suggested. “It’s about that time.”

“Good idea…”

Kirigiri took the lead, and the little gaggle of people followed behind her. It seemed that Fukawa and Yamada had quit their argument, though they both still looked quite annoyed. A few other people joined the throng as we collectively headed down to the cafeteria. There was already one person there when we arrived.

“Everyone! Thank you for your cooperation! Did anyone find anything noteworthy?” Ishimaru said, his voice as loud as ever.

“There’s a library here! But it contains no manga,” Yamada supplied.

“There’s a pool! A pool! And lots of training equipment in each locker room!” Asahina shouted.

“I saw no exit,” Ogami said quietly.

“I’ve made an important discovery as well!” Ishimaru proclaimed. “We can now enter the public bath here in the dormitory! I checked the stairs in the dorm area as well, and that seems to still be off-limits.”

“Was there an exit in the bath?” Owada demanded.

“Um… Well, no…”

“Any tools that can help us break out?”

“No…”

“So you got all excited over nothing,” Owada griped. “New places opening up doesn’t matter at all. The only important thing is getting the fuck out! None of this matters!”

“I guess… We should be done investigating for the day…” Ishimaru said, suddenly seeming dejected. “Nothing else to do, really…”

The atmosphere in the dining hall had turned heavy as we reached the conclusion that no escape was yet to be found. We all left slowly, our footsteps dragging.  _ Maybe spending some time with someone will cheer me up… _

As I was pondering this, a shaky voice interrupted my thoughts: “Um… Naegi-kun… If you don’t hate the idea, would you like to spend some more time together?”

_ Jeez, _ I thought,  _ if there’s anyone who can say no to a person like Fujisaki-san, I’d be really surprised. _

“I’d love to,” I said firmly. We were alone in the dining hall now and there were a few hours left before night time, so it seemed like now was convenient. “We promised to hang out again, didn’t we? I want to learn more about you.”

“That’s right… But what did you want to know?” She tilted her head, placing a finger to her cheek in thought and blushing lightly.

“Well, let’s see… Oh, how about this! What kind of program are you working on right now?”

“Oh! I actually just started something interesting. Remember I told you that I made that database software based on voice recognition? I’ve been asked to retool it into something a little more complex…”

_ She was  _ asked _ to retool it? By whom? _ I recalled the rumors I had read about her online: that she was recently hired by the national government for a secret project.

“Go on,” I prompted gently.

“Well, I really can’t… I signed a non-disclosure agreement.”

“Ah, I see. They probably don’t want the information to fall into the wrong hands…”

“Yeah,” she confirmed. “It’s not that I don’t trust you or anything! It’s just that… I made a promise, you know?” She looked downcast, fidgeting a little. “S-Sorry… Oh, but! Maybe I could give you a little hint… It has to do with simulating human thought…”

“Simulating human thought… Like artificial intelligence?”

“Ah! You figured it out! Was my hint too easy..? Ah, what am I going to do? I broke my promise…”

“Don’t worry, Fujisaki-san,” I said quickly. “I won’t tell anyone! You can count on me to keep your secret.”

“Y-Yeah… I guess I feel like I can trust you… Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to talk about it just a little… I’m working on an artificial intelligence program that the world has never seen before. It’s what we call a ‘strong AI.’ It’s designed to think like a human and process any mental task that we can do!” She was excited now, fired up at the prospect of talking about her interests. She balled her hands into fists and bounced on her feet, reminding me of a puppy yet again.

“A strong AI?” I echoed.

“You see, in the field of artificial intelligence, there’s strong AI and weak AI. Weak AI isn’t meant to match human intelligence. It’s just a type of problem-solving software. It doesn’t actually  _ think _ , it just executes actions programmed into it. But strong AI is a program that can achieve true self consciousness. Full ego awareness.”

“Full ego awareness,” I repeated, feeling out of my depth.  _ She’s so smart… I’ve never heard of any of this. _

“In other words, strong AI is a complete entity,” she continued. “A computer program capable of becoming aware. The only thing is… it’s always been hypothetical. There are plenty of experts who don’t even think it’s possible.” She looked determined, smiling with uncharacteristic confidence. “But I  _ do _ think it’s possible. That’s my project right now.”

“Wow,” I said, and let out a little whistle. “That’s impressive. Have you come very far?”

“I’ve made a lot of progress on the programming side,” she said, nodding hesitantly. “And the intelligence side too. But… When it comes to actual awareness, it’s still a long way off. I’m not sure how to put it exactly… No matter how well-designed a computer program is, or how complex… No matter how closely it can simulate human thought… It’s not enough. If it’s only  _ simulating _ , it will always be lacking something.”

“Lacking..?”

“I guess you could say it would be lacking…” She glanced away, blushing more heavily and fiddling with her ribbon again. “Lacking a soul, I suppose.” Fujisaki was self-conscious, almost embarrassed to say it, it seemed. “Th-That’s not a technical term… But it feels right. If you could somehow pour your soul into the program, maybe then it could become fully ego-aware. Maybe that’s how you could create a strong AI…”

“Wow… You’re really dedicated, Fujisaki-san. That’s amazing.”

“Ah, well, right now it’s mostly theoretical,” she said dismissively. “I don’t even know how I  _ would _ program a soul into something, on a technical level.”

“If you want to do more research,” I said, an idea occurring to me, “I might know a way you could do it here! Have you been to the library on the second floor?”

“No… I haven’t checked out much besides the area by the pool…”

“Well, it seems to be broken, but if there’s anyone who can repair it, it’s probably you! There’s a laptop in the library,” I said.

She straightened up, her gaze suddenly focused. “A laptop?”

“Yeah. It might not work at all, but… You could give it a crack, you know, fixing it.”

“Wow! Thanks for telling me, Naegi-kun! I want to get started right away… Do you mind?”

“No, I don’t mind!”

“I’m gonna go get it! Ah, but I spent all this time talking about myself again, and you didn’t even get a chance. I probably bored you to death, didn’t I?”

“No! The opposite,” I insisted. “It was really interesting. I really like learning about you, Fujisaki-san.”

“You mean it?”

“Of course!”

She smiled widely, her big hazel eyes shining. “Okay! Well, next time I want to hear about you!”

“Oh… I really  _ am _ boring, though.”

“No excuses,” she warned. “It’s your turn next time.”

“Um… Alright. If you really want to…”

“Hehe! Yay!” She cheered, playing with the hem of her skirt. “I’ll talk to you again soon then, Naegi-kun!” She waved goodbye and trotted away, her white mary-janes clicking against the tile floor, a spring in her step.

_ I think anyone who could refuse her would have to be a soulless AI program like she mentioned… _

Hands in my pockets, I headed out of the dining hall and into the school area, where I found Fukawa loitering near the stairs.  _ What’s she doing? _ I wondered.

“Fukawa-san,” I called, and she jumped as if I had snuck up on her.

“What!” she snapped. “What do you w-w-want?”

“Well, I thought we might spend some time together.”

Her upper lip twisted and her eyelids lowered, halfway between a snarl and a leer. “Y-Y-You want to talk to me? W-Well, go ahead, I c-can’t stop you…”

_ Alright… She really isn’t very friendly. _ “Well, what do you like to do in your spare time?” I figured that was a safe enough question.

“Why d’you w-wanna know?” she demanded. “S-So you can t-tease me for my hobbies?”

“What? No! Since we’re all trapped in here together, the best way to become friends is to learn more about each other. I wouldn’t make fun of you,” I protested.

She stood up straight, rigid, and I was reminded a little of a meerkat. Her eyes were wide behind her round spectacles. “Huh? What did you just say? After that part about being trapped?”

“Uh, that the best way to become friends with someone is to get to know them..?”

“Become… Become what?” Fukawa hissed the words like she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“...Friends..?”

“Ha,” she barked. “That’s wh-what I thought you said… Friends! Hehehe… Hoohoohoo… Do you think I’m s-s- _ stupid _ ?”

“Huh? No--!”

“Wh-Why would you want to be f-f-friends with  _ me _ ! You’re s-such a liar… Come on, it’s so obvious. Wh-Who would w-want  _ my _ company? You don’t r-r-really care about me… You don’t want to know about me! Even I know th-that… Friends… No w-way am I making  _ that _ mistake again.”

“Friendship isn’t a mistake!” I said. “Of course I care, Fukawa-san! Why would I lie?”

“T-To get close to me s-s-so you can humiliate me l-later, of course!”

“I’d never do something like that! Fukawa-san, I wouldn’t! We’re friends!”

“F-F-Friends! You say we’re  _ already _ f-f-friends? Gah! I’m blind… Your straightforward nature is blinding!” She draped a wrist over her eyes dramatically, like a Shakespearean actress.

“Oh, come on,” I said. “It’s not so hard. Just tell me what you like to do in your spare time.”

“I write,” she said flatly. “I’m serialized, you know. So I’m  _ busy _ . And when I’m n-not writing, I’m s-s-studying, since I don’t want to be an i-i-idiot like  _ you _ .” She suddenly looked horrified, clapping a hand over her face. “Argh, me and my idiot mouth! Y-You h-h-hate me for sure now, d-don’t you,” she seethed.

“Well, that was a little rude, but… I don’t hate you. I just want to be your friend. It didn’t bother me that much.”

“W-Want to be my friend…” she repeated again, puffing out indignant breaths. “Yeah, right.”

“What will it take to convince you that I care?” I asked, half-successfully keeping a whine out of my voice.

“Hmph… You r-really want to p-p-prove you care? F-Fine. Answer me th-this: what do I hate m-m-most in the world?”

“What you hate most…” I repeated. Remembering her fight with Yamada in the library, I guessed, “Doujinshi?”

She looked startled. “Y-You… actually l-listened to me earlier?” She picked at a fingernail, eyes narrowed in suspicion. “W-Well, that wasn’t quite the answer I was l-l-looking for, but… You’re right that I do h-h-hate doujinshi… I guess you pass. For n-now.”

“Phew. Alright, so since I’ve passed the test, will you tell me more about yourself?”

“Wh-What, you have a question for me? A q-q-question? My c-classmate has a question for me?” She smirked.

“Uh, yeah. So, you’re the Ultimate Writing Prodigy, right? How do you get your ideas and stuff? Do you, like, write from real life, or..?”

“Are you stupid,” Fukawa demanded suddenly.

“Huh?”

“Of c-c-course it’s not from real life,” she grouched. “I wr-write romance novels, after all. H-How could I possibly wr-write  _ that _ from real life? It’s all d-d-delusion! Delusion lets you f-f-fall in love as much as you want! Ugh, w-whatever. I knew you j-just wanted to make fun of me. I’m used to it.”

“That’s not--”

“But let me clear up one thing!” she shrieked, and I resisted the urge to cover my ears and protect my eardrums. She went on, “Even th-though I don’t have m-m-much experience, I’m n-not totally clueless! Even s-someone as ug-u-ugly as  _ me _ has been on a d-d-date.” She grinned, sweating a little, and I was sort of unsettled.

“Oh, uh. Okay.”

“I’m n-n-not lying! I’ll t-t-tell you about it if you want to hear!”

“No, that’s okay…”

“It was in junior high, and out of nowhere th-this guy from another c-c-class asked me out.”

_ Okay, I guess I’m hearing about it anyway. _

“H-H-He asked  _ me _ to make the plans for the d-d-date… I stayed up all night for three days planning it.” She smiled, seeming proud. “It was our f-first date, so I figured we sh-should do something traditional. I d-d-decided, after much deliberation, that we sh-should go to a movie.”

“It took you three days to come up with--”

“No interrupting!” Fukawa snarled. “Anyway. A m-movie is ideal first date m-material. You w-watch it, sitting all close to each other, and th-then talk p-p-passionately about it afterward… It was a g-g-great idea. I ch-chose a Suzuki triple feature.  _ Tokyo Drifter _ ,  _ Fighting Elegy _ , and  _ Branded to Kill _ . T-T-Totally irresistible f-for any boy in j-junior high, right?”

“Um… Sure,” I said, although I really had no idea who Suzuki was, and had never heard of any of those movies.

“Wrong!” she cried. “It was a t-t-total disaster. He must’ve h-hated it, b-because he left halfway through the f-first movie and d-d-didn’t come back.”

“What! After you spent all that time carefully planning? That’s so mean.”

“W-Well, it is what it is. He d-d-didn’t even want to go on a date w-with me anyway, so I can’t blame him. He only did it b-because someone dared him to.”

“A dare!” I said, indignant on her behalf.

“Argh! Why are you r-r-reminding me of all this? Do y-you just like seeing me m-m-miserable or something? Ugh! L-Leave me al-l-lone, you pervert!”

_ What? _

Before I could respond to that, she was stomping away in the direction of her dorm room. I debated chasing after her, but ultimately decided against it.  _ She’s a little tiresome… _

I didn’t have the chance to go after her anyway, though, because suddenly there was someone else looming over my shoulder.

“I hope she’s not filling your mind with silly misconceptions about the art of doujinshi, Naegi Makoto-dono…”

“Oh, uh. No, not really. What’s up, Yamada-kun?”

“Well! I’ve decided to give you a lecture on the nature of the artform, in order to counteract whatever she may have poisoned you with!”

_ Oh no… _

“Um, that’s alright, Yamada-kun. I don’t think that I’ve been poisoned… I mean, I’m not really into all that geeky stuff anyway. I read manga, but doujinshi isn’t really my thing.”

“Hmph! So to you, all doujinshi is  _ geeky _ , is it?! I knew it! But, no reason for worry! I take the word geek to be a compliment, because it’s akin to an expert. It’s geeks who open the world to others!”

“Alright, okay… So tell me about your doujinshi,” I said, trying not to sound quite as resigned as I felt.

“Ahoo! Super direct question for the win!” he bellowed, placing his meaty hands on his hips. “Okay, so there are all sorts of doujin circles and fan events where mangaka such as myself come together! We group of holy warriors sell our fanwork based on anime, manga, video games, and all manner of fandom! And thus concludes your first lesson.”

“Ah. Alright.” Yamada sauntered away, and I was left thanking God that my first lesson was short.

From behind me, I heard a voice, mumbling quietly in that mysterious European accent.

“Ah, Celes-san,” I said, by way of greeting. “What are you up to?”

“Well, it is almost night time, so I am returning to my room,” she said walking past me. “I suggest you do the same.”

I jogged to catch up and then fell into stride beside her, though her legs were much longer than mine and she seemed uninterested in slowing her pace for my benefit.

“Okay. What were you talking to yourself about?” I asked. “I could hear you saying something.”

“Ah, yes. I was merely saying my own name. Celestia Ludenberg… Celestia Ludenberg… It’s a lovely name, isn’t it? So pleasing on the ears. Splendidly charming. I never tire of hearing it.”

“It’s kinda hard to pronounce… I kinda wonder about it, you know? Why  _ that _ name?”

“What do you mean, why?” she asked delicately, and something about the way she asked it made a warning bell sound in my head.

“I just mean, you must’ve come up with it yourself, right? Or is it from something?”

“From..? No, it is not  _ from _ anything.”

“Well, it can’t be your real name, can it?”

“Oh, it can. And it is.”

“Your parents really gave you that name?” I wasn’t trying to pry or press, but my curiosity was too great to resist.

“I did not say that. I merely said that it is my real name. Though, since you seem to be so concerned about it: my father is French nobility, and my mother is a part of a German family of musicians.”

_ There’s no way that’s true… _ “Were you born in France or Germany?” I asked.

“Tochigi, actually.”

“Tochigi…”  _ Now we’re getting somewhere! I knew she had to be Japanese. _

“I was born in the capital city of Tochigi, which is known for its gyoza. Do you know of which city I speak?”

“The capital of Tochigi… That’s Utsunomiya, right?”

“That is correct. Congratulations. You have proven yourself to be roughly as intelligent as an elementary schooler.”

“Or a high schooler,” I grumbled.

“I do enjoy gyoza,” she sighed. “Such a shame I shall never taste my hometown’s gyoza again.” 

By now, we had reached the dorm area, and stood in the hall outside our own rooms.

“Huh? Celes-san, you don’t know that. In fact, I’m sure you’ll have your gyoza again. We’re going to get out of here!”

“No. We will not.” She gazed at me from beneath impossibly long and thick eyelashes. “We shall not escape here. The sooner you accept that fact and adapt to it, the better. The longer you live in denial, the more likely you are to succumb to the urge to kill. You should give up.”

“Hey--!”

“Goodnight.” She let out a tittering little laugh, and then shut herself in her room.

“Jeez…” I muttered to myself.

I entered my own room, feeling sleepy. It would be night time soon. As I shut the lights and Monokuma played the announcement over the loudspeakers, I tried to put Celes’ deadly words out of my mind.

絶望

Attention! It’s time for the Monokuma Theatre. Here’s an announcement from our beloved headmaster.

_ Can I ask you a question, Monokuma-sensei? I don’t like myself. I have no special skills that I’m confident at or that excite me. My grades are average. My body is average. My intelligence is average. I can make friends, and maybe someday I’ll find love. And that’s exactly why I don’t like myself! Isn’t my life just copy-and-paste? I lack imagination! Don’t you agree, sensei? _

_ \--Headmaster Monokuma _

絶望

I headed down the hall to the cafeteria, the sound of the morning announcement playing over the loudspeakers.

“Ah, good. Now Togami-chi and Ishimaru-chi are the only ones we’re missing,” Hagakure said.

“G’morning, Naegi!” Asahina chirped.

“It’s rare for Ishimaru-kun to be late,” I observed.

“He went to collect Togami-kun, I believe,” Celes said.

“What about Yamada-kun? Where’s he?” I asked.

“In the kitchen, bringing me my milk tea.”

As Celes spoke, Yamada emerged from the kitchen, carrying a tray with a china cup on it, the scent of black tea wafting enticingly towards us.

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” he blustered, setting the tray in front of her.

“Heehee.”

“If you were making tea for h-h-her, why d-didn’t you make some for everybody?” Fukawa asked.

“Celes-dono asked me to make some for her,” he said simply, shrugging.

“I shall try it now,” she announced, and raised the teacup to her lips. Yamada watched with bated breath as she took a delicate sip. “Hm…” She thought carefully for a moment, then stood, turned, and hurled the teacup with all her might at the wall, where it shattered in an explosion of ceramic and aromatic liquid. A few people screamed.

“Wh-Wh-What was that for!” Yamada demanded.

“The milk tea was not to my liking,” she sniffed, sitting back down. “I will drink only  _ royal _ milk tea, where the tea is boiled down  _ with _ the milk. Tea that has milk simply poured into it is unacceptable.”

I was completely and utterly bewildered, and so it seemed was Yamada.

“I went to the trouble of fulfilling your request and you throw it against the wall!” he complained.

“See, but you did not fulfill my request. Why even have the item on the menu if you aren’t going to do it the right way?”

“There isn’t a menu--”

“Just hurry the fuck up and get me my tea the way I like it, pig boy!” she snapped.

With a terrified shriek, Yamada scurried back into the kitchen with the tray, and I could hear the clattering of cookware as he went to remake the drink. 

_ Wow… Celes-san really does live up to expectations of her, doesn’t she? That was cruel of her… _ But even more interesting than her impatient shouting was that she seemed to almost lose her European accent a little as she yelled. She almost sounded normal, for a fraction of a moment.  _ Why would her accent go away when she’s angry? _

As I was thinking about this, the cafeteria door swung open, and Ishimaru stepped in, a grave look on his face.

“Everyone! We seem to have a problem,” he said, and we all turned to look at him. “Togami-kun won’t come out of his room! He never answered when I rang the bell.”

“Maybe he’s not in there..?” I suggested, but the innocent question filled me with sudden cold dread. “Maybe we should split up and search for him.”

“I think you’re right,” Ishimaru said, looking a little queasy. “Perhaps it would be best if we all spread out. We can cover more ground that way.”

“I’ll try checking his room one more time,” Asahina volunteered.

“The rest of us should split up and find him before it’s too late, eh?” Hagakure agreed.

_ Too late… _

People hurried out of the dining hall, spreading out down the corridor to search. There was only one person left, aside from Yamada.

“Celes-san, aren’t you going to help?”

“No, I don’t think so. Until my dry throat is satisfied, I do not wish to do anything at all.” She smiled at me, a condescending slant to her expression.

I left the dining hall, heading down to the dormitory hallway first, where Asahina was pounding on Togami’s door as promised.

“Hey! Get out here, Togami!” she shouted.

“No response yet, huh?” I asked. “Maybe don’t knock so hard, though. You might break the door down.”

“No way,” Asahina replied. “I’m not nearly strong enough. Not like Sakura-chan. Have you seen how big her arm muscles are? She’s amazing! I bet she could knock this door down.”

“I guess I’ll go look for him somewhere else…”

“Alright, Naegi! Good luck! Hey, Togami, wake up!” She returned to slamming her hands against the door.

Next, I tried the storage room. Full of dusty boxes and lots of useless junk, the huge room almost was like a warehouse.

“Thought you’d try the storage room too, Naegi-kun? Well, I’m one step ahead of you! There’s no trace of Togami-kun here,” Ishimaru said, competitive as ever. “Don’t lose heart, Naegi-kun! Let’s go look elsewhere!”

I found Owada and Fujisaki checking out the public bath, which I hadn’t yet visited. There were rows of small lockers as well as several baths, and a back room that led to a sauna.

“Where the hell’d that kid go?” Owada growled. “I thought someone with no tact like him might’a come here to take a bath without telling anyone, but… No dice. Say, Naegi, you should join me for a bath sometime! Us men gotta do stuff like that sometimes, y’know!”

“I’ll… think about it…How’s your search coming, Fujisaki-san?” I asked.

“Ah, the same, really… I think Kirigiri-san might have a good idea of where to check next, so I might follow her… She’s so cool, isn’t she? She’s so smart, and I bet she’s strong, too…”

“Huh? Uh, I guess. Let’s follow her, then,” I said

We were able to catch up with Kirigiri in spite of her brisk pace. “Kirigiri-san, do you have another idea of where he might be?”

“It should be clear, isn’t it? We should be easily able to deduce his location based on what interested him yesterday…”

With Fujisaki and Owada behind us, Kirigiri and I fell into step together as the answer dawned on me. Soon, our little group stood in front of the library, with its heavy oaken doors.

“Togami-kun?” I said hesitantly as we entered, feeling anxiety creeping down my spine.

“What?” replied a smooth and derisive voice.

“Oh, good. You’re here.” I breathed a sigh of relief as I spotted Togami, who was sitting at a table in the library, a book in hand. Although the library was dark, a small desk lamp with an extension cord plugged into an outlet under the desk gave off enough of a dim glow for him to read. “What are you doing?” I demanded. “We were worried about you.”

“What am I doing?” Togami snorted. “Fishing. I’m fishing, Naegi. Or can you not see the book in my hand and simply understand that I’m reading?”

“We all thought something might have happened to you! We all promised to meet for breakfast--”

“Promised?” He raised an eyebrow, glaring up at me from where he sat. “For heaven’s sake, they won’t even let me read in peace and quiet…” He closed his book with a snap and stood up leisurely, like a shadow. “There was no cause for alarm. I am merely reading a novel for reference. A detective novel.”

“A detective novel..? Could it be that you plan to copy one of the murders?” Ishimaru gasped.

“Of course not. When I am victorious in this game, my methods will be original. I have no desire to copycat any vulgar killers.”

A shiver went down my back. There was a smile on Togami’s face as he spoke so casually of murder. He looked almost as if he was enjoying himself.

“The fuck are you talking about,” Owada gritted out. “A game? This ain’t a game!”

“On the contrary. A game is exactly what this is. A game where there can be only one winner.”

“A zero-sum game,” said a cool voice, and I turned to see Celes enter the library, looking smug. “Game theory. A field in mathematics. In a zero-sum game, there is only a limited number of gains to be had, and when someone’s share grows larger, it means that everyone else’s grow smaller in turn. In our case, that limited resource is the number of us that can escape this place: one.”

“Precisely,” Togami agreed. “This game was created to force us to kick each other down. I have no qualms about doing such a thing. After all, if there can only be one winner, then surely it is going to be me.”

“Of course, we could always abandon all hope of escaping,” Celes said. “Then none of us would need to have fear of the game.”

“Why should we shy away from the game? It seems like such fun,” Togami said, and laughed, high and cruel.

“You’ve never considered for even a microsecond that you might lose, have you, Togami-kun?” Celes asked.

“Of course I haven’t.”

“As expected of the heir to the Togami Conglomerate. But I think you are wrong,” Celes said.

“Yeah, you bastard!” Owada growled. “Who the fuck do you think you are?”

“Every time you open your mouth,” Togami said to him, “I am shocked anew that shoddy, no-good punks such as yourself still exist in the modern world. You are truly a marvel.”

“I’m gonna fuckin’ kill you!”

“Oh, believe me, you shan’t. I will not die in this game.”

“It’s useless talking to someone like Togami-kun,” Celes sighed. “The very concept of losing is something he doesn’t understand. As the Super High School Level Heir, he was taught from a young age that he is a king who stands above all else. He has had a destiny of victory attached to him since birth. Life is nothing but a game to him.”

“So it seems there is one person here who understands,” Togami said.

“I am the same,” Celes continued. “A game is to be won.”

“Shut your filthy mouth and never compare me to you again,” Togami commanded. “And to all of you, let me say this: try to put some fighting spirit into this. If my opponent isn’t going to give it their all, where’s the fun?”

A small voice spoke up for the first time then. “No…”

“What?”

“I said no!” Fujisaki repeated. “This isn’t a game! Our lives are at stake here… You can’t treat it so flippantly! How can you even  _ talk _ about killing your friends? It’s horrific!”

“Friends?” scoffed Togami. “Whoever decided that we were friends? We are not. We’re just the opposite. We’re enemies competing with each other.”

“But…”

“Don’t argue with me. You have no right. In fact, don’t open your mouth at all.”

Fujisaki went beet red and silent, a hoarse apology escaping her trembling lips. Tears beaded and ran down her cheeks.

“Hey!” shouted Owada. “You stupid fucker, how dare you talk to her like that! You get off on bullying people weaker than you? You make me fucking sick!”

“You’re seriously defending her? What is the point?” Togami sneered.

“I’m gonna kill this kid!”

“Anyway, leave me be now. I have no interest in your pathetic breakfast meeting. Besides, someone may poison the food, and I do not intend to be a part of the Last Supper. Goodbye.” Togami turned on his heel and left the room, leaving us standing there in silence, Fujisaki crying into her hands and Owada bubbling with rage. With that, our breakfast plans were disbanded.

I put a gentle hand on Fujisaki’s shaking shoulders. “Fujisaki-san..?”

Between sniffles, she managed to eke out, “S-Sorry, Naegi-kun… I’m… not really f-feeling up to hanging out r-right now…” and fled the scene, dashing away down the hall and to her dorm room as fast as she could.

I tried to call out to her, but Kirigiri held up a hand to shush me. “Let Fujisaki-san go, Naegi-kun.”

“I’m worried about her…”

“I know. There’s no way a person as foolishly open as you are could hide your concern.”

“Foolishly open,” I repeated back. “Not all of us are as composed as you are, Kirigiri-san.”

“You say that like I’m inhuman.”

“Well, no, but you never seem to emote at all.”

“Of course I have emotions,” she shot back. “I merely hide them. Letting others read your expressions leaves you vulnerable. Your naive honesty makes you an easy target.”

“It’s kind of irritating when you say things like that…”

“I’m simply recommending that you attempt to protect yourself a little better. Don’t allow others to read your emotions or push you around.”

“Well, maybe you should react more to things,” I retorted. “Maybe you should try showing more feeling.” I was suddenly struck with an idea of how to get a rise out of her. “After all, it’s such a waste that you hide such a cute smile!”  _ Where the heck did my sudden confidence come from? Oh, well. She’ll have to have some kind of reaction to that! _

“W-What?” she said, eyes wide, face pink. “C-Cute? Why would you..?”

“Aha! Looks like I got you to show a hint of emotion,” I said triumphantly.

“Naegi-kun… You… deceived me!” Her face was suddenly ashen, her eyes filled with fury. “I’ll never forgive you! Using the word ‘cute’ to trick someone like that… It’s so cruel!”

“W-Wait,” I said, backpedaling as fast as I could. “N-No, I just got a little carried away! Please, I didn’t--”

“Got you,” she interrupted smoothly, and smirked. “See how easily you yourself are deceived?”

“...Huh..?”

“You’d never just come out and call a person cute like that. You should’ve known I’d see through such an obvious ploy. It’s completely out of character.”

_ She turned it around on me..! _

“Be careful, Naegi-kun. You’re honest to a fault.” She spun on her heel and left the library.

_ What a formidable opponent… But I’ll get a real emotional response out of her someday. _

絶望

Ishimaru had seemed dejected about the cancellation of the breakfast meeting, so I decided to spend a little time with him and try to cheer him up. He was giving me a lecture on the origin of the concept of ‘zero,’ when I said something that apparently upset him.

“Whoever came up with zero must’ve been a genius or something.”

“Ha!” Ishimaru said, his voice more aggressive than I’d heard it before. “A genius? How insulting!”

“Huh? What’s insulting about that?” I asked.

“A genius has no need to put effort into anything. A genius, a person who’s never known failure, a person who’s had no struggles or hardships… I laugh in the face of such a lazy person! Ha!” He paused. “When a genius trips and falls, they don’t know how to pick themselves up again. It’s far better to accomplish things based on hard work!”

“You must not like me very much then,” I said. “I mean, I’m not a genius, but I didn’t work hard to get here.”

“Nonsense! There’s no reason for me to dislike you! You may have gotten lucky, but that just means you’ll have your work cut out for you! So work hard, Naegi-kun! Don’t disappoint me!” He smiled widely, an infectious smile that I couldn’t help but return.

“I’ll do my best, Ishimaru-kun. I don’t want to disappoint you, or my parents.”

His face fell a little bit at that, and he seemed almost to shrink in on himself. “Family..?” His lips puckered, like he was deep in thought. “Tell me about your family, Naegi-kun.”

“Well, uh… They’re pretty normal, I guess. Um, I have a mom and a dad… and a little sister named Komaru.”

He nodded sagely. “My father is a correctional officer.”

_ Somehow _ , I thought,  _ that explains some things. _

“You know, Naegi-kun, my grandfather was a genius,” he continued. “Everything in life came easily to him… How disgraceful.”

“Disgraceful..? Isn’t that going a little far?”

“My grandfather was a disgusting man, Naegi-kun,” Ishimaru said venomously, and I found myself blanching at this strange side of Ishimaru that I had never seen before. “He was once Prime Minister of Japan, you know.”

“What!”

“Ishimaru Toranosuke,” he said, and the name sounded familiar. “He went from Minister of Foreign Affairs to Chief Cabinet Secretary, and then finally Prime Minister. No effort required. And then a scandal ended his career.” He went quiet.

“I think I remember reading a little about that,” I said slowly. “It was all very hush-hush, though. Hard to find information about.”

“I won’t tell you what he did,” Ishimaru said darkly.

“I won’t ask.”

“Some see genius as fate’s blessing, Naegi-kun. But it isn’t. Genius is a tragedy. There are people who go places that they never deserved to go. That’s why I have to work hard… I have to be better than him. He didn’t deserve the good things he got. I’m going to earn it.”

“Yeah,” I said, at a loss. “I’m sure, Ishimaru-kun. You’re probably the most determined person I’ve ever met.”

He beamed, but there was a touch of sadness behind that smile as we parted ways.

“Naegi,” someone grunted, and I turned to see Owada slouching over to me. “I thought you were  _ cool _ , man.”

“Huh?”

“What’re you hanging out with that goody-two-shoes prick for?” He shrugged in the direction of Ishimaru’s retreating back.

“Oh. Um… Ishimaru-kun isn’t actually so bad once you get to know him, I think.”

“Yeah right! He’s an asshole with a stick up his ass! I’d beat that kid to a pulp any day!”

“That doesn’t really seem necessary.”

Owada sagged. “Yeah, you’re right. I guess I’m just antsy being cooped up in here. Feels weird. I feel like I just need to hit something, y’know? Say, you wanna fight a little? A bit of hand-to-hand?” He grinned cheekily at me, eyes bright.

“Ah… No, definitely not, sorry. But I bet Ogami-san would! That’s her talent after all…”

“Ogami! No way, kid. I’d never hit a chick, no matter how strong she is. Gotta respect women, ya know.”

“Wouldn’t it be more respectful to treat her as an equal?”

“...Maybe you’re right. But still! I’m not fighting Ogami! Not because I’m scared or nothin’, ‘cause I’m not! It’s just my principles!”

“Not scared, huh?” I said skeptically.

“Of course not!”

“Then why are you shouting?”

“Oh. Uh. Sorry.” He cleared his throat. “Nervous habit. I shout when I’m stressed out, I guess. Especially when I’m talkin’ to a cute chick or something. It’s not on purpose.”

“You must get stressed out a lot, from the amount of times I’ve heard you shouting. Or else you think the girls here are cute,” I quipped.

“Shut up! You don’t know what you’re fuckin’ talking about!”

“Whoa, hey, I was kidding! Honest, Owada-kun.”

“Oh. Sorry. I’ll, uh, leave you alone, I guess.” He slumped away.

絶望

Attention! It’s time for the Monokuma Theatre. Here’s a message from our beloved headmaster:

_ When I see someone cute, I can’t help but stare! I end up staring for quite a while, shamelessly. Just recently, I went to the train station, and I ended up missing my train because I spent so much time staring in the washroom mirror! _

_ \--Headmaster Monokuma _

絶望

The night passed uneventfully, although Fujisaki was holed up in her room and refused to come out, so I was glad to see that she showed up for breakfast.

“Togami-kun and Fukawa-san both aren’t here,” I noted.

“Fukawa-chan doesn’t seem to want to spend time with us,” Asahina said. “And of course, Togami is being an ass as usual.”

“The dining table seems to grow larger and larger,” Ishimaru said quietly.

“Well, let them go. They’re both tiresome, eh?” Hagakure said.

“What a cold thing to say so plainly,” Celes murmured. “It’s as if you are an iceberg lettuce.”

“Iceberg lettuces aren’t cold,” corrected Ishimaru. “They’re green.”

“They can be both,” Asahina pointed out.

“Fukawa may be annoying, but the real problem is Togami,” Owada said, ignoring the banter. “I swear, that kid is gonna end up murdering someone. We should tie him up or something.”

“Owada-kun is right! The scariest thing here is recklessness among a group of peers!” Ishimaru declared. “Haven’t you heard of the activities of radical student movements?”

“I’m guessing the riots weren’t all fun ‘n’ games,” Owada said.

“You’d have to be a real clueless idiot to think they were!”

“Hey! Who the fuck’re you calling an idiot!”

“Not you, obviously!”

As Owada and Ishimaru devolved into an argument clearly based on a misunderstanding, I turned to the small and sad presence across the table from myself.

“Fujisaki-san, are you alright..?”

“I’m okay,” she sniffled. “Just going through a little bit of… self-loathing…”

“Self-loathing?”

“When Togami-kun yelled at me yesterday… I just froze up. I couldn’t fight back at all… and even Owada-kun called me weak. I really am a weakling, aren’t I? I’m pathetic…”

“Ah, so Owada made you feel depressed,” Asahina said.

“Wh--! That’s not my fault! Chicks are just naturally kinda weak, y’know? For the most part, anyway! It’s just nature! I didn’t mean any harm… Hey, are you crying even more now? Knock that off..!”

“‘Cause you’re yelling like a lunatic!” Asahina snapped. “Stop raising your voice at her!”

“H...Hey… I’m sorry, alright Fujisaki?” he said, softer now. “I… I won’t yell again. I’m sorry. Promise. Don’t cry. I won’t shout anymore! I give you my word as a man!”

“Your word… as a man..?” Fujisaki whispered back, still teary-eyed.

“I, uh, told you about that before, right? Ever since I was a little boy, my big brother kinda drilled it into my head that a man’s gotta keep his promises. That’s the advice he left me.”

“Advice… he left you..?”

“Ah, yeah. Left me. My big brother Daiya… He’s dead.”

“O-Oh… I’m so sorry, Owada-kun… I had no idea,” Fujisaki said, wide-eyed.

“Ah, yeah, it’s fine. I mean, y’know. Gotta move on and stuff… Gotta take care of the gang for him, you know! Can’t afford to shed tears on spilled milk…” His voice trailed off. “Anyway! I promise as a man that I won’t shout at you anymore! So, chin up!”

“Eheh...Thanks, Owada-kun!” Fujisaki chirped brightly, wiping away her tears.

“Uh… Yeah, sure, n-no problem…”  _ Is he blushing? _

“But, you know,” Fujisaki said. “I can’t keep being so weak… Anything can make me cry, and that’s no good… I have to get stronger. I don’t just  _ have _ to, I  _ want _ to. Maybe I… should start working out. Retrain my body and my mind…”

“I would be happy to assist,” Ogami intoned.

“If you do that, you’ll demolish Chihiro-tan!” Yamada cried.

“Oh, shut up, you,” Asahina demanded, put off by the usage of Fujisaki’s first name and the diminutive honorific. Fujisaki just laughed.

“Thank you guys… You’ve really cheered me up…”

_ That’s good… Fujisaki-san is feeling like herself again. We should support each other like this more often… And our bonds of friendship will carry us out of here! ...Or something. _

We concluded our breakfast meeting shortly thereafter, and I remembered my promise to Fujisaki.  _ That’s right. She wants to learn about me. _ I was struck with an idea then.  _ Isn’t there a gacha machine in the school store? Maybe I’ll get her a present… _ Ignoring the flush in my cheeks, I wandered to the store.

I fished around in my pocket for a handful of small bronze coins emblazoned with Monokuma’s face. I’d been finding them all over the place in the school, and here was a use for them. I plunked a few into the machine and gave it a whirl.

Two coins netted me three little plastic eggs with prizes inside. The price was one coin per spin, but an extra egg had dropped from the machine on the second coin.  _ How lucky..! _

Popping each one open, I found three little trinkets: a pair of miniature shears, a kitten hair clip, and a keychain commemorating the punk rock band Jimmy Decay. I tucked the three presents into my pocket, my fingers on the kitten hair clip as I headed back to the dorms and knocked on the door of Fujisaki’s room.

“O-Oh,” she said as she opened it. “Naegi-kun! Ehehe… I’m happy to see you.” She smiled brightly and opened the door wider. “You remember your promise, right? We were going to talk about you this time! Come in.”

“Eh..!? Come in!?” I repeated incredulously. “You’re really going to let me in your room?”

She looked bewildered. “Um… Yeah. C’mon.” She gestured, and I jogged into her room, looking over my shoulder to make sure nobody saw.

Fujisaki’s room was clean, with a well-kept clutter to it. There were star maps plastered on the wall, a telescope in one corner, and stacks of books piled high on the desk. The laptop from the library was sitting on the bed, several screws scattered around from where she apparently had popped the back of it off. The bedspread was blue plaid.

“Trying to fix the laptop?” I said, pointing to it.

“Oh, yeah! I actually got it working a little. I took the back off to poke around inside it for a minute, but… I’ll put it back together…” I watched as she picked up the laptop and the various bits and pieces of it and carried it to the desk. She paused for a long moment, and then opened her desk drawer and withdrew a screwdriver. I could see her watching me carefully out of the corner of her eye, her movements slow, like she was waiting for me to comment on something. When I didn’t, she shrugged a little, and put the laptop back together. _ Maybe she was waiting for me to ask who she borrowed the screwdriver from..? Oh, well. _

“So!” she said, clapping her hands and turning to look at me. “You said we could talk about you this time! Let’s go, I want to hear all about you!” She sat down on her bed and motioned for me to do the same.

I sat down stiffly, giving her plenty of space, and then said, “What do you want to know?”

“Hm… Let’s start with a question…” she mused. “What do you like to do in your spare time?”

“Oh, uh… Nothing exciting, really. I watch TV, play video games…”

“What about sports?” she prompted.

“Oh, no, I don’t really play any sports. I don’t work out or anything.”

“You don’t work out at all?” she said, seeming a little disbelieving. “...And you’re still so strong?”

“I’m not really strong at all,” I laughed. “If masculinity were a ladder, I’m pretty much on the bottom rung!”

“The… bottom… rung?” she echoed, and suddenly her eyes were welling up. She clenched her hands tight and looked away. “Oh…”

“Hey, don’t be upset…” I started, though I was unsure what she could possibly be upset about. There was no denying that she seemed disappointed, though.

“It’s just… I’m looking for someone strong…”

“Someone strong? What about Ogami-san?”

“No,” she said, shaking her head. “It has to be a boy…”

“Are you sure? She’s definitely the strongest person here.”

“Y-Yeah, I’m sure… She’s definitely really strong, but it needs to be a boy…”

“Hmm… Okay. Well, how about Togami-kun or Owada-kun?” I suggested. “Togami-kun is pretty cruel, but he’s definitely headstrong, you know? He’s really confident… And Owada-kun is really physically strong. Probably the strongest guy. But Fujisaki-san, why are you looking for a strong guy?”

“Oh… Well, you know…” She blushed.  _ Maybe she’s into tough guys? She doesn’t seem like the type… _ “I just… I want to start training and get a little stronger. I’m… so weak… But I thought that maybe if I talked to someone about it, it might help motivate me!”

“Ah, I see,” I said, although the gender of the mentor still didn’t seem to matter to me. “Well, sorry I can’t be of much help.”

“No, Naegi-kun, your suggestion was really good! I know who I should talk to now…” She trailed off for a moment. “Um, Naegi-kun..? Do you… No, nevermind…”

“What is it?”

“Well, I was just wondering…” Her voice was barely more than a whisper as she asked, “Do you… like yourself..?”

“Do I… like myself?” I repeated, surprised by the question. “Um… Yeah, I guess so. I mean, if I could change one thing, I kinda wish I was a little more interesting. I’m pretty forgettably ordinary, especially compared to everyone else here…”

“And how do you overcome that feeling?” Fujisaki pressed. “How do you learn to live with your insecurity?”

“Um… Well, I guess I find that throwing myself into something distracts me. It gives me purpose, which makes me feel better…”

“Throw myself into something,” Fujisaki echoed. “That’s a great idea… Thanks, Naegi-kun! If I don’t do something… Nothing’s ever going to change…”

“Y-Yeah, no problem,” I said.  _ I still don’t really know what she’s talking about, but… if I’ve helped her even a little bit, that’s good enough for me. _ “Oh! I almost forgot!” I fished around in my pocket for a moment. “I got this from the gacha machine in the school store and thought I’d offer it to you.” I presented the kitten hair clip in an open hand, smiling widely.

Fujisaki looked at it for a moment, and then to my dismay, her face crumpled.

“Wh--Hey! What’s wrong, Fujisaki-san? I’m sorry..!” I quickly shoved the kitten hair clip back into my pocket.

“It’s… cute…” she said meekly. “I appreciate the gesture… it’s not really my style…”

“Oh, uh… I’m sorry! Here, how about this?” Frantically, I withdrew the Jimmy Decay keychain, practically throwing it into her lap in my haste.

She picked it up and inspected it carefully, then smiled at me. “How’d you know I like rock music?”

“Huh? Oh… I didn’t, really… Just got lucky.”

“Thanks, Naegi-kun!” She sniffled a little. “I’m really happy…”

“That’s good,” I said, relieved. I wasn’t sure why the kitten hair clip offended her so much, but I made a mental note not to get her anything like that again as I left her room.

絶望

As it turned out, I would run into Fujisaki again before nightfall. There was only about an hour before the announcement that would signify the beginning of night time, and I was feeling rather hungry, so I headed out of my room to grab a snack, and I spotted Fujisaki loitering nervously near the storage room at the end of the dormitory hall.

“Ah, Naegi-kun. Good evening.”

“Hello… Are you looking for something from the storage room, Fujisaki-san? I can help if you want.”

“Oh… N-No, I’m fine by myself. Th-Thank you for offering, though… Um… Bye…” To my surprise, she didn’t enter the storage room, and instead slunk away down the hall back to her dorm room.

_ Maybe she’s shy about whatever it is that she’s looking for..? I wonder what it could be… _

As I walked towards the dining hall, there was yet another person to run into.

“Oh my… Good evening,” Celes said.

“What are you doing, Celes-san?” I asked, cautiously trying a hand at polite conversation.

“Nothing in particular… I was just taking an evening walk. Ah, and by the way… Regarding the rooms of our dear departed classmates, they appear to be locked.”

“Monokuma is… very diligent, in his own strange way,” I conceded.

“Farewell,” Celes said, and moved away gracefully.

No one else to speak to, I shoved my hands into the pockets of my hoodie and shouldered my way into the cafeteria. I had come looking for a last-minute snack, but what I found was… something else entirely.

Ishimaru and Owada were mere centimeters apart, chests puffed up, hands balled into fists, and faces red. I could practically see the veins in their foreheads throbbing, and I caught the tail end of whatever Owada had been shouting at the top of his lungs: “Bring it on!”

My eyes were wide as I stood in the doorway, and they both looked over at me, breathing heavily, rage written across both of their expressions.

“Naegi-kun! Perfect timing,” Ishimaru spat, a gleeful and menacing grin across his usually-friendly face.

“We need an observer,” Owada growled, his teeth gritted. “This fucker’s been making fun of me all evening. He says I have no willpower!”

“Because you resort to violence so easily!” retorted Ishimaru. “You disregard society and its rules because you have no self-control!”

“You have no fucking idea what I’m like, idiot!”

“You have already lost to your own self! You--”

“Are you saying you have more willpower than me!?” Owada barked, and reached forward, grabbing Ishimaru by the front of his pristine white uniform.

I gasped, but Ishimaru was unafraid, although he teetered in place with the effort not to get dragged forward. He shouted, “Of course I’m saying that! I have utmost discipline, but even if I didn’t, you didn’t set the bar very high!”

“Fuck you!”

“And I can prove it!” Ishimaru craned his neck to look at me, twisting in place, still in Owada’s clutches. “Naegi-kun! Owada-kun and I need you to referee our endurance contest! To prove that my willpower is greater!”

“An endurance contest,” I repeated. “Not a beat-down, right? I don’t think I want to see that…”

Owada finally let go of Ishimaru, who rubbed at his throat where the collar had chafed. Owada snorted and said, “No, not a beat-down. There’s a sauna in the public bath.”

“A simple and decisive contest,” Ishimaru agreed, straightening his shirt and smoothing the creases out of it. “Whoever can remain in the sauna for longer is the victor!”

“You fucking got that right!”

“W-Wait--” I said, but they were marching towards me. Each grabbed me by an arm, and I was suddenly being dragged out of the cafeteria and over to the public bath. They didn’t stop until we were standing outside of the sauna, at which point they let me go, and I nearly stumbled before catching myself. I hedged, “Are you guys… really doing this?”

“Of course we are! Not to worry, Naegi-kun, it will surely be over in minutes! Guys like Owada-kun are all bluster, no backbone!”

“Quit talking shit, bastard! If you really want to test me, I’ll give myself a handicap! An easy win is boring, after all. I’ll go into the sauna with all my clothes on!”

Ishimaru blanched. “Th...That’s suicide! I’m starting to regret this…”

“Then back out, coward!”

Ishimaru stood up ramrod-straight. “Of course I won’t! Let’s go!”

Ishimaru undressed quickly, wrapping a white towel around his waist and eyeing Owada, who, as promised, kept his clothes on. Owada held the sauna door open, giving a sarcastic bow as Ishimaru passed through it with a determined grimace on his face. The glass window on the door was too foggy for me to see through it, but I could vaguely make out the black shape of Owada’s trench coat as both men sat down on the bench inside.

I lingered outside the door, feeling very much out of my element.  _ This is too much… This is really too much… _ I leaned against the wall for a moment, but then felt that it was too casual a stance, and that I should be ready for anything, so I stepped away. I watched through the window, although I couldn’t see anything, wondering exactly what my role was supposed to be.

I heard Ishimaru’s voice from inside the sauna then. “H-Hey, Owada-kun…”

“The fuck do you want?”

“If it’s too hot for you… and you want to take the uniform off…” He was panting heavily as he spoke. “If you do it now, I’ll just… write it off as a joke…”

“Worry about yourself,” Owada said, and his voice was a pained groan. “Your face is bright red, you hotsprings monkey…”

“My face has been red since birth! It’s a sign of my courage… In fact, I could go for a hot-pot udon bowl right now..! Ugh…”

“Um… Are you guys okay in there?” I asked. “It’s been nearly a half hour…”

“We’re fine,” they both snarled in unison.

“O-Okay…”

“Owada...kun...are you...feeling...ready to give up… yet?” Ishimaru panted.

“I could ask you…the same thing...shithead.”

“N-Nuh-uh...I’m doing fine...In fact...I feel...kinda c-cold!”

“Guys…” I said, but was silenced by them both speaking in unison again:

“Shut  _ up _ !”

_ Jeez… _

Suddenly, a four-note chime played over the loudspeakers, and Monokuma made his regular announcement that it was night time.  _ Aw, man… The dining hall is locked now. No snack for me, I guess… _

“Hey, did you guys hear that?” I called, tapping lightly on the sauna door. “It’s officially night time… Don’t you think it’s time to give up and call it a tie?”

“Giving up..! How...terrible! A tie...is worthless,” Ishimaru gritted out. “Win...or lose...there is no other option!”

“You got that right, you motherfucker,” Owada affirmed. “You really said it! I’ll go to hell before I give up!”

“Um… I hate to say this, but--” I started.

“Go back to your room, Naegi,” Owada commanded, and I could hear his lips popping with the exertion of breathing under the heavy heat of the sauna. “We got this… You’ll hear tomorrow...about my legendary victory!”

“L-Look forward to tomorrow, Naegi-kun!...And I’ll show you...how I stamped on this delinquent with my own two feet!”

“W-Well said...for someone who looks...like he’s on the verge of death!”

“Look who’s talking..!”

I paused, debating whether it would be wiser to remain here, but ultimately, tiredness won out. “Well, good night, I guess.”

Neither man said anything to me, so I shrugged off, heading to my room.  _ Those two are so stubborn. I hope they don’t kill themselves in there… _

I collapsed into bed and fell asleep, a niggling anxiety in the back of my brain…

絶望

Attention! It’s time for the Monokuma Theatre! Here’s an announcement from our beloved headmaster:

_ If there really is such a thing as fate, then is everyone’s future decided from the moment they’re born? Or on the other hand, if one’s past experiences influence who they become, isn’t a man’s future decided by the past? I don’t understand… And that lack of understanding is what keeps me going, so I can see what’s ahead! _

_ \--Headmaster Monokuma _

絶望

I sat bolt upright in my bed as the morning announcement played.  _ The dining hall… I have to get to the dining hall and make sure Owada-kun and Ishimaru-kun are alright! _ I threw the blankets off of myself, quickly changed, and jogged out into the hall. There was nobody waiting outside, so I dashed to the cafeteria as quickly as I could.

I burst into the dining hall, breathing hard, and when I did, I saw something unexpected.

“Ah-hahaha!” bellowed Owada. “You’re too much, aniki!”

“Hahaha! No, aniki, it’s you who’s too much!” Ishimaru said, punctuating the statement with a belly-laugh.

_ Aniki… _ I thought.  _ They’re brothers now!? _

“Oh! Naegi!” Owada said.

“Thank you for being our observer last night, Naegi-kun!”

“You’re...not at each other’s throats anymore?” I asked.

“They’ve been acting like this all morning,” Asahina griped. “All buddy-buddy, slapping each other on the back and laughing like they’ve got all these inside jokes…”

“Don’t worry, aniki,” Ishimaru said. “Women just don’t understand the deep bonds of friendship that hold men like us together! Bonds between men are thicker than blood!”

“Well said, aniki! I should get that shit tattooed on my body or somethin’!”

“Of course you shouldn’t! Your body is a precious gift that your parents gave to you, and you shouldn’t desecrate it like that!”

To my shock, Owada only laughed at that, grabbing Ishimaru by the back of his collar and shaking him, reminding me of dogs picking up other dogs by the scruff of the neck.

“So...who won?” I asked, interrupting their laughter.

“Who cares,” Owada said easily.

“The matter of the victor is irrelevant!” Ishimaru agreed. “All that counts is that we competed against one another!”

“That’s not what you said yesterday…”

“Male friendship is indeed different from female friendship,” Ogami intoned. “It’s far more simplistic.”

“You can say that again, Sakura-chan,” Asahina said, and nodded.

絶望

The rest of breakfast passed with lots of raucous shouting and boisterous laughter, and I was somewhat relieved to return to my room. I had only had a moment’s peace when the doorbell rang.

I opened it, and to my surprise, it was Fukawa who shoved past me to stand in the center of my room. She looked around, sneering at the decor, then rounded on me.

“H-Hey! You!”

“Fukawa-san, is something wrong?”

“What? Is it s-s-such a surprise for me to c-come here? A-Am I r-r-really so much of a bother?”

“No, you don’t bother me. What’s on your mind?”

“I n-need you to come with me...to the library,” she stammered, and I could see that she was sweating quite a lot.

“Are you...looking for a book..? You could ask Togami-kun for help, since he’s practically living in the library these days.”

“H…Heh...You s-sure have a loose tongue, d-don’t you! Well, keep it in y-y-your mouth. Th-This needs to be a s-secret…”

“Uh...I don’t really understand, but if you want me to keep this just between us, I can do that…”  _ Does this mean she’s accepted my friendship? _

She smirked, letting out a wheezing sort of giggle. “S-So… let’s go then!”

She grabbed me by the wrist, and yet again I was being dragged someplace with dubious consent.  _ Why is she acting so aggressive? _

We passed a few people along the way, but Fukawa didn’t let me stop to chat, and soon we found ourselves standing in front of the huge double doors to the library.

“G-Go on,” Fukawa said. “Go in quietly, so h-he doesn’t hear you. Quietly!”

Doing as she commanded, I slowly pushed the library door open, and peeked inside. Once again, Togami was seated at the table, illuminated by a desk lamp and reading a book.

“H-He’s here...Ah-haha...He’s really here,” Fukawa giggled. “Well, Naegi-kun, start talking to him.” She shoved me lightly, trying to push me into the room.

“Wh-What?”

“H-Hey! Don’t make so much noise! Quickly, just get h-his attention…”

“If you want to talk to him, why don’t you do it?” I muttered.

“I-If I start talking to him, it’ll j-j-just be b-bothersome…”

_ This seems a little unfair, _ I thought,  _ but I think refusing might end in pain. Besides, I want to be friends with Fukawa-san. _

I took a step into the library, standing awkwardly in the doorway. Togami didn’t look up from his book.  _ I think he wants to be left alone… _ I shuffled in place, and cleared my throat quietly.

Togami sighed deeply and said, “Oi. You. You’ve been loitering around here for awhile now. You’re an eyesore. Get out of here, now. You as well, over in the corner there.”

Fukawa squeaked a little at the acknowledgement. Pressing her pointer fingers together and averting her eyes, she said, “T-Togami-kun…Do you remember what you told me? You said that...I should become a woman who doesn’t seek to control weak men...But is instead controlled by a strong man…”

Togami arched an eyebrow. “I have never said anything like that.”

Fukawa giggled and blushed. “I th-thought of it m-myself. It seemed like s-something you w-would want to say…”

“...Leave,” Togami said, sneering. “And go take a bath. You stink.”

Fukawa’s eyes went wide. I remembered during the first trial, when she said that she hadn’t yet showered.  _ He’s right about that… Has she still not showered..? _

“How many times do I have to repeat myself,” Togami demanded. “Leave, before you make the whole room smell foul.”

“O...Okay…” Fukawa grabbed me by the arm and dragged me out of the library, the door swinging shut behind us.

“What exactly was the point of all that?” I asked. “He got pretty upset... It seems like Togami-kun is always in a bad mood.”

“T-T-Togami-kun,” Fukawa whimpered. “H-He...really cares about me!” She clasped her hands together, a dreamy expression on her sweaty pink face.

“...Huh?”

“H-He was worried...about me...He told me to t-t-take a bath!”

I couldn’t help but stare at her, sure that I had a dumb, googly-eyed expression on my face.  _ What the hell? She thinks...he cares about her? _

“N-Naegi-kun...What do you think?” She leered, leaning in close, and I tried to keep myself composed against the smell of her body odour. “About m-me and Togami-kun,” she prompted, as I had been silent, unsure of what to say. “D-Do you think we could w-work? True love…True love manifests the m-moment you th-think of it!”

“Is that...so..?”

“You’ll understand one day,” she said, chuckling wheezily and smiling. “W-Well then...Goodbye now…I h-hate t-taking showers...but for T-Togami-kun, I’ll do it!” Fukawa made off, an uncharacteristic skip in her step.

As I was walking back to my room, I passed by Ogami, who was leaving the locker room area, perspiring lightly and holding a can of something.

“Ah, hello, Ogami-san,” I said to her.

“Good afternoon, Naegi,” she replied, wiping sweat from her forehead.

“Were you working out?”

“I was. And now, it’s time for my post-training break. It’s the most relaxing time of the day. The sensation of your muscles cooling down is a true reward…”

“Do you exercise every day, Ogami-san?”

“Unless I have something that gets in the way, yes,” she said. “And I’m lucky--there’s a small stock of protein powder in the kitchen. I’ve been able to make myself some protein coffee.” She held up the can in her hands. “Although…” She glanced back at the locker area, looking a little sheepish. It was an odd expression to see on a usually stoic face. “I spilled this batch all over the carpet in the girls’ locker room.”

“Whoops,” I said, cracking a smile. “That’s alright, I’m sure. I’m amazed that you work out every day, though. Doesn’t it get tough?”

“I can’t say I’ve ever seen it as tough.” She stepped forward, and I took the cue; we began walking down the steps to the first floor together, heading for the dorms. “After all, it’s all so I can get stronger… My destiny is to fight.”

“Your destiny?”

“From the day I was born.” She nodded. “Heaven sent me to live as its champion.” I raised my eyebrows a little, and then she cracked a smile. “Kidding. Though fighting truly is my purpose… My father was a master, and my every waking moment was spent training with him… As a child, I sparred with boxing champions and gold medalists. I was no match for them when I first began, of course… But before long,  _ they _ were no match for  _ me _ .”

“Wow,” I said. “That’s incredible, Ogami-san! You’re pretty dedicated… You’re the Super High School Level Grappler, so I guess you’d have to be dedicated. Say, what does ‘grappler’ mean, specifically?”

“I’d say that my specialty is solid standup that transitions into grappling and a strong ground game.”

“So, like… mixed martial arts?”

“That’s right. It’s the most effective real-world fighting style, which is why I chose it. I don’t just want to be the best in competitions. I want to be the best in the world. I want to be the strongest human being on the planet.”

“Wow… How come? What made you choose that as your aspiration?”

“My family dojo has been passed down from generation to generation for three centuries. I was born into my family as an only daughter. Male or female doesn’t matter. It’s my duty to protect our legacy. And because I am a woman, I must be even stronger than if I were a man. Some might say that a woman is incapable of becoming the strongest person alive… I seek to prove them wrong.”

“I wouldn’t bet against you, that’s for sure.”

“I appreciate that. But there is still someone I have yet to beat… Until I surpass him, I can never be the strongest…”

“Could you be talking about… your dad?” I asked, drawing on my knowledge of fighting movies.

She arched an eyebrow. We had come to a stop in the hallway of the dorm rooms. She said, “That was only a matter of time. I was fourteen years old when I first beat my father in a sparring match, and I have not lost to him since.”

“Wow, so you actually beat him, like, two years ago?”

“Yes. The man who is stronger than me… is someone else entirely. But that’s a story for another time…” Although her skin was a dark color, her cheeks colored a little darker, ruddy, like a blush. I had never seen Ogami blush before.

“Well… I guess you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. But I’d love to hear the story.”

“I…need to gather my thoughts first. Please try to understand. Even I...I, too, have the heart of a woman…”

_ The heart of a woman..? _

“Oh! That reminds me,” I said, interrupting her as she unlocked and opened the door of her dorm room. “Real quick, Ogami-san--” I fished in my pocket for a moment, before withdrawing the kitten hair clip. “Do you want this?”

I dropped the clip into her open palm, and she stared at it for a moment. To my surprise and relief, her face broke into a warm smile. She looked at me, her dark eyes twinkling, and said, “This is…very cute. I like it a lot. Thank you, Naegi.”

We waved goodbye to one another, and she stepped into her room, holding the kitten hair clip carefully, like it was a delicate and precious thing.

Raucous laughter stopped me in front of my room door, and I peered around the corner to see Owada and Ishimaru exiting the dining hall, arms wrapped around each other’s shoulders like they truly were brothers. Ishimaru bellowed, “You’ve certainly got that right, aniki!”

“Oh, hey, Naegi,” said Owada, nodding at me with a grin on his face. “Say, we were just talkin’ ‘bout our fav’rite animals. You got one?”

I paused, hesitating for a moment. I  _ did _ have a favorite animal, but…

“Well,” I said. “Before all this started…Bears were my favorite.” 

“Bears? That’s fucked up, man.” He chortled a little. “You don’t think that Monokuma thing is cute, do ya? Bears...”

“I’m starting to like them less.”

“Anyway, what my aniki is really wants to ask,” Ishimaru said, “is whether you are a  _ dog _ person or a  _ cat _ person!” He put heavy emphasis on  _ dog _ and  _ cat _ , as if he wasn’t sure I’d understand.

“Oh. Well, I guess I’m a dog person.”

“That’s the right answer!” Owada said, grinning and giving me a thumbs-up. “Cats are alright, but dogs are where it’s at! They’re way cuter! Did you ever have a dog, Naegi?”

“Yeah, I grew up with a dog in the house. It was a mutt, and it was pretty cute… It’s dead now, though.”

Owada’s face suddenly looked sober. “I’m sorry, kid. I know how it feels to lose a dog you love…”

“Did you have a dog too, then, Owada-kun?”

He nodded solemnly. “Chuck. He died when he was nine. Fluffiest little maltese ever.”

_ A maltese? I would’ve thought Owada-kun would be more of a pitbull guy, or a doberman… _

“He was so smart, man,” Owada said, misty-eyed. “He’d bring in the newspaper every morning. And he’d beg me to take him for a walk. He’d look at me with those big eyes of his, and wiggle his little butt...My baby boy…”

“There, there, aniki,” Ishimaru said soothingly, patting Owada gently on the shoulder.

“Don’t look at me,” Owada groaned, looking down, his voice shaking. I fought off the absurd urge to laugh, knowing that such an action would end up being the last thing I’d ever do.

Suddenly, a familiar sound played over the loudspeakers: “Uh… This is a school announcement. It will soon be night time. But before that… All students are required to attend a gathering at the school’s gymnasium! Emergency! Emergency!”

_ A gathering at the gymnasium? _

“Maybe...he wants us to do radio exercises again?” suggested Ishimaru, but it sounded like he didn’t even believe his own words.

“C’mon, aniki,” Owada said to him. “Through hell and back together, yeah? Let’s go. Nothing good will come of ignoring that fucking bear.”

The two of them marched off in the direction of the gym. I could hear my classmates emerging from their dorm rooms behind me, and we all fell into step together, shooting nervous glances at one another.

“This is bad,” Yamada murmured. “That’s what my ghost is whispering to me…”

Eventually, all twelve of us remaining had gathered in the gym. I did a quick head count to be sure everyone was present, and indeed, we had everyone.  _ Nobody’s died… That’s good… _

“What could he want with us?” Ishimaru asked, speaking rhetorically. “Gathering us all up in here…”

“Heheh,” Togami laughed, smirking. “He won’t let us grow bored after all.”

“Why are you always cackling?” Yamada said. “Can’t you put on a pleasant smile for once? Be more like Sazae-san right before the end credits.”

Ignoring Yamada, Togami said, “Though I must admit I’m impressed with you all. You don’t want to kill each other. You also don’t want to live in this place. You just keep passing your days without any clear vision. I’m impressed by your apathy.”

“It’s not like we’ve stopped thinking about a way out,” Asahina snorted.

“Speaking of which, I believe I remember you insisting that the police would come and rescue us. How is that assertion working out for you?”

“Th-That’s…” Asahina trailed off, unable to think of a witty retort.

“It is odd,” Kirigiri said calmly, a gloved hand at her face as she pondered. “Something like this happens in a school located centrally, and the police never take notice… We’ve been here for nearly two weeks now.”

“The police are a bunch of incompetent nincompoops,” Yamada declared.

“Or perhaps the mastermind even has control over the police,” Celes suggested.

“Ah, you know,” Hagakure began. “This may be unrelated, but…”

“If it’s unrelated, you don’t have to say it,” Fukawa said snippily.

“Nah, I think I will, eh. It was yesterday. I was hangin’ around the entrance hall, hoping the door would open, and I heard a weird noise. It was almost like a construction site? It was pretty faint though. Through that big metal hatch and all, eh?”

“Hey,” snapped a sharp voice, and we all turned to look at Monokuma, who had just plopped himself down on the podium on the stage. “What are you imbeciles talking about? A construction site? No, no, no! What Hagakure-kun was hearing wasn’t a construction site. It was explosions! Lots of ‘em! Y’know, machine guns and the like can sound very similar to a construction site… Upupupu!”

“What!?” I demanded, and a few other people yelped the same.

“My lips are zipped now!” Monokuma crowed. “I won’t say anymore! The rest is a secret. And speaking of secrets…” He chuckled, the sound sinister. “I’ve grown a little bored of waiting for you guys… So I have a new motive for you!” 

“Do your worst! We can take it!” Ishimaru shouted suddenly. “I don’t know what you’re scheming, but nobody here is going to kill anyone ever again!”

“What a wonderful speech,” Monokuma drawled. “But let’s put it aside. As I said, I’ve got some secrets here for you. Namely: your own!” With a vocalization like a fanfare, he held up a stack of envelopes. “Embarrassing secrets! Mementos of the past--or perhaps the present! What could be contained in yours, I wonder..? Catch!” He threw the stack, the envelopes fluttering chaotically to the ground like a snowstorm.

Several people dove for the pile, snatching up envelopes frantically, seeking out the ones that bore their own name in red marker on the front. I quickly found my own among the collective, and soon we were all standing back, clutching a labelled envelope.

“Does everyone have their own?” Ishimaru verified, and all of us nodded in affirmation.

“Any living person surely has their own embarrassing secrets,” Monokuma carried on. “For the occasion, I have collected some insider knowledge about each and every one of you! Contained within your envelope is top-secret information! Please go ahead and open yours now.”

Doing as instructed, I tore the envelope open as slowly as I could, as if putting off having to read whatever was within it. I pulled out a folded piece of paper, and read its contents.

_ Naegi wet the bed until the fifth grade. _

I was stunned. How did Monokuma know? I had never told anyone about that.

Around me, everyone else was making sounds of shock and dismay.

“How...did he find out about this?”

“N-N-No...No...No…”

“What..? How…”

“Why!?”

“As I said,” Monokuma continued, “each of you has top-secret information in your own envelope! However, it won’t remain top-secret for much longer…”

There were gasps of alarm as he spoke.

“In twenty-four hours, your secrets will be released to the world! Maybe I’ll drive around in a limousine and shout them through a bullhorn! Maybe I’ll send out a mass email! The possibilities are endless!”

“That’s...it..?” I asked.

“Huh? Whaddya mean, ‘that’s it?!’” Monokuma screeched.

“I mean, sure, this is something I’d prefer for nobody to find out,” I conceded. “But there’s no way it’s worth killing over! This motive is silly.”

“He’s right,” Ishimaru agreed, though his face was pale. “This is insignificant! Nobody would kill for something as unimportant as this!”

“Aww,” Monokuma said dejectedly. “Are you sure? And to think I went to all the trouble to unearth this stuff… I guess there’ll be no murder this time around. Oh well! I guess I’ll have to satisfy myself by revealing everything in twenty-four hours!” He disappeared behind the stage.

“You know, I was really scared,” Asahina began hesitantly, “but this doesn’t seem so bad. We’ve been given kind of an easy one this time. I mean, my secret is embarrassing, sure, but… It’s not something to kill someone over, is it?”

“Everyone!” Ishimaru announced. “I have a splendid idea! Why don’t we confess our secrets right here and right now? That will render the motive moot! I’ll start! My embarrassing secret is that my grandfather--”

“I don’t want to h-hear your pathetic story!” snapped Fukawa. “And I w-w-won’t talk about mine either! T-Torture me if you w-want, but I’ll never tell!”

“I concur,” Celes said smoothly. “Mine is simply impossible to speak of.”

“When you say it like that, it just makes us want to hear it more…” Yamada said.

“I will not discuss it.”

“Oh, come on,” he insisted. “Just say it..!”

Suddenly, at the top of her lungs, she shouted, “I told you I don’t want to fucking talk about it, you bag of lard!”

“Kyaaa!” Yamada screamed, and cowered.

_ There goes her accent again… _ I mused.  _ I wonder why it goes away when she’s angry… _

“I agree with Celes,” Togami sniffed haughtily. “There is no reason to confess.”

“W...What about someone else?” Ishimaru said.

“S-Sorry,” Fujisaki piped up, her voice quiet and trembling. “I don’t really want to talk about it right now… But… I think it’s no good if I continue acting this way. I promise I’ll reveal my secret later… I’ll do my best to become stronger… And then I can tell everyone!”

“Even if my aniki is the one who suggested it, it seems like everyone else is against it, so I gotta say no,” Owada muttered.

“Alright…” Ishimaru gave in. “Still...There’s no way there’s a secret here worth killing over, right? We’ll skip the revelations for now. Just to be safe, everyone stay alert for the next twenty-four hours!”

The night time announcement played over the loudspeaker, and everyone began to quietly make their way back to their rooms. All except for myself and one other person, who had grabbed me by the sleeve.

Soon, everyone was gone but for me and Fujisaki, who clung to me like a baby animal might cling to its parent.

“Naegi-kun...Can I talk to you for a second?”

“Um… Sure, Fujisaki-san. What’s up?”

She paused, seeming understandably distressed. “I...I want to tell you something...I’m just so scared…”

“You don’t have to say it if you don’t want to…”

“N-No, it’s just that...I want to change. If I confess my secret, everyone’s gonna hate me... They’ll probably think I’m disgusting… Maybe it’s best if I don’t say anything at all, but…” She took a shaking breath, tears running down her face.

“Don’t think that,” I said immediately. “There’s no way we’ll hate you, or think you’re disgusting. No matter what, Fujisaki-san, I promise! Whatever’s upsetting you so badly… There’s no way we’ll hate you for it.”

She looked up at me, her wide hazel eyes shining. “You really mean that?”

“Of course.”

She smiled, her voice still watery as she spoke. “You know, Naegi-kun, you always give me courage… I think hearing you say things like that is good enough for now. If I lose that courage again, I’ll be sure to come speak to you… And maybe you can help me reach my goal…” She paused, her smile fading a little. “I know what I want to be… I know I have to change, or nothing is ever gonna get better…”

“Don’t rush yourself,” I said gently. “Keep your goal in front of you and move towards it at your own pace. It’s okay to figure out the right speed to move at… Even if you take things slow, you’ll always be making progress.”

“Naegi-kun...I think that...I’m less afraid than I used to be. Well, only a little...I’m still terrified. But I think that...tomorrow I want to take my first step. Tomorrow morning, I’m going to tell everyone my secret at breakfast.”

“R-Really? Are you sure?” I asked, surprised by her sudden willpower.

“Yeah! Really! And when I say it...can you promise to try not to be too shocked?”

“O-Okay. Sure thing, Fujisaki-san.”

With that, we walked back to the dormitories together, and I left her in the hall as I returned to my room.

_ Past secrets and memories… Things that connect us to the outside world… _

I truly thought that there was no way someone would kill over something like that. I didn’t feel too tense. I collapsed into my bed, unaware of the tragedy that had already been set in motion.

絶望

Attention! It’s time for the Monokuma Theatre! Here’s an announcement from our beloved Headmaster:

_ Regarding the difference between active and passive… I’d like to talk about perspective! For example, the difference between “I killed” and “I ended up killing.” There are many people who don’t understand the difference, but the difference is huge! Anyone can say “I ended up killing,” but the amount of people who can truly say “I killed” and mean it are few and far between. It’s a much more difficult thing to make a plan and enact it than it is to simply feel things in the moment. There’s a difference between, “Yeah...I did it…” and “Yeah! I did it!” Do you understand what I mean? What I’m trying to say is… I have absolutely no idea what I’m trying to say. Figure it out for yourself. Try to read between the lines, idiot. _

_ \--Headmaster Monokuma _

絶望

“Good morning!” a voice cheered, right into my ear.

“Gah!” I sat bolt upright, clutching my chest in shock. “Wh-What are you doing here!” I demanded.

“I came to wake you up!” Monokuma sing-songed, swinging his stubby little legs back and forth where he sat on the edge of my bed. “I think it’s pretty careless how you were taking a nap just now.”

“I wasn’t taking a nap,” I groused. “It was night time.”

“Oh, I know. The morning announcement will play any second. But I thought I’d come wake you up in person, because it’s funny. And by the by, you forgot to ask me what I meant by ‘careless’!”

“I know what careless means.”

“I know, I know! But in this context, it means that you shouldn’t be so relaxed. After all, last night, something  _ happened _ to one of your buddy-buddy classmates. I thought you should hear it from me.”

As my blood turned to ice in my veins, Monokuma hopped off my bed and sauntered away, bidding me a friendly  _ toodles! _

_ Something...happened to someone? No… There’s no way he means that… _

I launched myself out of bed and tore my way to the dining hall, practically tripping over my own feet in my haste. The morning announcement played and I paid it no heed as I stumbled into the dining hall.

“Good morning, Naegi-kun!” Ishimaru said, smiling. “How did you sleep?”

“What happened?” I demanded. “What was Monokuma talking about?”

Ishimaru’s face fell, and he furrowed his brows. “What do you mean?”

“Monokuma,” I repeated. “He came into my room and said that someone--that something--”

Ishimaru was rising from his seat. A few other people trickled into the cafeteria, looking confused at my panic.

“Something happened to someone last night! We have to go check!”  
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, calm down, Naegi!” Asahina said.

“We have to split up and search!” I was breathless as I shouted.

“O-Okay, okay.” Asahina put her hands up, as if I were a wild animal she was trying to calm. “I’ll stay here in the dining hall and tell everyone as they come in. You guys split up and search for… What are we searching for, Naegi?”

“I don’t know,” I said miserably.

“Okay, that’s okay…”

“Let’s go!” Ishimaru said. “No time to lose.”

“Indeed,” said a snide voice behind me, and I turned to see Togami, whose arms were folded over his chest. “Let’s begin. Naegi, come.” He stalked out of the dining hall, and I only hesitated for a moment before following him.

“Togami-kun--”

“Hush,” he commanded. “We’re going up to the second floor. Surely someone should search there while everyone else bumbles around on the first floor.”

He led me up the flight of stairs, and I ducked into the first classroom. It was just as empty as it had been before, as was the next. Togami tapped his feet impatiently as I searched, my body thrumming with fear.

“Next is here. The locker rooms.”

Monokuma’s voice suddenly crackled to life over the loudspeakers: “Ahem! Attention! For this investigation, all previously locked doors have been unlocked! Feel free to explore to your heart’s content!”

“Investigation…” I repeated weakly.

“I see. So it seems a murder  _ has _ taken place.” Togami smirked, and pushed open the door to the locker rooms. I followed him in.

There was nothing in the first room, aside from the machine gun mounted on the wall, and the two doors marked MALE and FEMALE. On instinct, I stepped over to the men’s locker room, reaching for it, but Togami put a hand on my shoulder.

“Let’s start with the girls’ locker room,” he suggested, sounding impatient.

“Uh… Okay?” I stepped further to the left, placing my palm against the door and pushing gently. It was unlocked, as promised. It felt like my heart was in my throat, hammering unevenly, and I found my mouth dry.

I pushed the door open.

Once inside, time stopped.

Blood in a pool on the carpet. Blood smeared across the walls. Blood running down her face and plastering her soft honey-brown hair to her pale greying skin. Her wrists were bound, arms outspread, stretching her body across the exercise equipment and suspending her above the ground in an unholy crucifixion. She hung limply.

Someone I had thought of as a friend. Someone I had made a promise with.

Fujisaki.


	5. Chapter 2: Weekly Shounen Despair Magazine (Abnormal Days)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning here for cisnormativity and disrespectful portrayals of Dissociative Identity Disorder.

I tried to restrain myself, but it was impossible. Like a spring sprouting up from underground, a scream streamed from my mouth, unstoppable.

“How strange,” Togami murmured quietly, an undeniable excitement in his voice. “Look at how she’s been strung up… Fujisaki Chihiro has been crucified. And written on the wall behind her... _bloodstain fever_. What a cruel murder. Don’t you agree, Naegi?” I couldn’t speak. I had no response. He carried on talking: “This wasn’t the work of an amateur. No, this is far too steeped in the occult. It’s not like the case of Maizono Sayaka, where two people got involved by pure chance… It’s as if this murder was done for pleasure, isn’t it?”

My brain was still in disarray. Still fuzzy and uncomprehending.

“Naegi-kun, I heard a scream! What--” Ishimaru cut himself off with a sharp gasp, and then a nightmarish scream of his own. “Fujisaki-kun!” he blurted, his eyes as wide as saucers.

 _Ding-dong-ding-dong_ . “A _body_ has been discovered!” Monokuma announced over the loudspeakers. “Following a brief investigation period, the school trial will commence! Good luck!”

_That’s right… Last time, once three people had found Maizono-san’s body, the same announcement played…_

“A body discovery announcement,” Ishimaru stammered. “So… Fujisaki-kun really is…”

“Dead,” Togami said snidely. “That much should be obvious just by looking at her. Go gather the others.”

Ishimaru rushed out of the changing room to collect everyone. I could do nothing but stand there and stare at the crime scene before me. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. _She was… my friend… Not only that, she was so sweet and kind… Who could do something like this?_ Soon enough, almost everyone had gathered, gasps of disgust and shock flying from their mouths as they took in the grisly sight.

“I… could not protect her,” Ogami growled, fists clenched, clearly furious with herself.

“Wh--What the fuck,” Owada spat, his face white as a sheet. “Who the fuck did this?! This is sick!”

“A dream… This must be a dream!” Yamada cried.

“Bloodstain fever,” Kirigiri remarked coolly. She gestured to the wall. Smeared across it in crimson were those two words, a horrific and oddly familiar phrase. “It’s not a dying message this time. It’s far too grotesque.”

“Bloodstain fever, written in the victim’s blood,” Ishimaru said. “Where have I heard that before?”

“That’s the calling card of Genocider Syo, eh?!” Hagakure yelped.

_That’s right… That’s why it sounded familiar! A ruthless serial killer who’s slaughtered dozens of young men… And at each and every scene, the same message written in blood…_

“S-Someone really copied that awful serial killer’s signature?” Asahina said.

“Or perhaps it’s the work of the real Genocider Syo,” Togami suggested.

“Th-The real..? Are you saying one of _us_ is Genocider Syo!?” Hagakure covered his face with his hands. “N-No way!”

“Ah!” Asahina said suddenly. “Fukawa-san!”

I turned to the doorway, where Fukawa had just arrived, the final person to show up. Her face was ashen, her eyes wide.

“W...What..?” she mumbled, gaze unfocusing. “N-N-N-N-N-No… No way… Why? Wh-Wh-Why? Why..?” With a sharp yell, she collapsed, her body twitching a little as she slumped to the floor.

“Fukawa-chan!” Asahina said again, scrambling to her side and shaking her gently. “Fukawa-chan!?”

“She did say that she’s weak to the sight of blood, correct?” Yamada verified. “She said that seeing it makes her faint.”

“Hemophobia,” Celes confirmed.

“Fukawa-chan, wake up!”

As if responding to Asahina’s words, Fukawa’s eyes suddenly shot open, and she leapt to her feet with the coordination of an acrobat, although none of the grace. Her movements were jerky, like a puppet on a string, and she jumped up and down a few times, her gaze lidded and her tongue lolling out of her mouth. She let out a strange cackle and then stopped moving, standing hunched-over and very very still.

“Huh? ... _Huh_?” Asahina said, stunned.

“Sorry-sorry! Got surprised and fainted. It happens. Or was it just me?” Fukawa cackled again, spreading the fingers of her hands and wiggling them around like she was putting on a performance.

“Fukawa-san, are you alright?” I asked cautiously.

“Ah, I’m fine, I’m fine! Oh, there’s a dead body here. Hey, you! Why are you dead in a place like this?”

“Her stutter is completely gone. Remarkable!” Yamada observed.

“I think she must’ve hit her head real hard when she fell, eh?” suggested Hagakure.

“Innings and outings! That’s what the world is composed of,” Fukawa sang. “Nine innings! Nine outings! A sea of truth and a web of lies!”

“Sh-She’s kinda scary…” Yamada mumbled.

“Her eyes are strangely vacant. She’s clearly not okay,” Ishimaru said.

“We should escort her back to her room. She should lie down,” Ogami agreed.

“I can do it,” Asahina volunteered. “Can someone help me?”

“I’ll help,” said Yamada.

“Ishimaru, can _you_ help me?”

“She ignored me!” Yamada said indignantly, as Ishimaru and Asahina supported Fukawa by grabbing an arm each and carting her away.

“The rest of us should begin our investigation,” Togami said uncaringly. “Owada and Ogami should guard the crime scene like last time.”

“I...I...I hate this!” moaned Hagakure. “I want to run away!”

“Where do you intend to run?” Ogami asked. “There is no place to go.”

“Quit panicking.” Togami pointed at Hagakure, sneering. “There’s nothing to this, really. Blood is just a liquid. A body is just an object. No need for hysterics.”

“A body...is an object!?” repeated Owada angrily. “Fujisaki Chihiro wasn’t an object! That kid was a living, breathing person, and I won’t let you disrespect her like this!”

“Please stop this pointless argument,” Kirigiri said, seeming thoughtful. “Togami-kun’s words aren’t necessarily wrong. Our lives are at stake here. Additionally, if he’s right that Genocider Syo is the culprit…more bodies could begin to show up any second.”

“Wh...What if he massacres us all!?” shrieked Yamada.

“Ah-ah!” Monokuma crowed, and we all jumped. “I’ve just added a new rule to your handbooks. One blackened may only kill up to a maximum of two people! Ah, and the Monokuma File has been added to your handbooks as well. See you at the class trial!” Monokuma bounced away.

“It’s not completely satisfying,” Celes sighed, “but it will have to do for now. We still must worry about one more person dying at the hands of this murderer.”

“That would be terrible,” Togami said. “We have to find the culprit before that happens.”

“We must solve the mystery of who killed Fujisaki-san, or we will all be executed,” Celes agreed.

_They’re right… As much as I hate this, I have no choice if I want to survive… First, I should check the Monokuma File._

The file read:

_The victim is Fujisaki Chihiro. The time of death was around 2am. The body was found in the girls’ changing room on the second floor. Death was instantaneous, with the cause being a single blow to the head with a blunt object._

“Naegi. I need a word.”

Looking up from the Monokuma File, I felt my eyebrows raise. “Togami-kun? Is there something you want to say to me?”

“Obviously,” he sighed, rolling his eyes. “Otherwise, why would I have approached you?”

“Um, okay… What do you need?”

“You are going to assist me with this investigation,” he said simply, leaving no room for argument. “You were the one who solved Maizono Sayaka’s murder, so I am buying your cooperation for this case. You seem useful.”

“This isn’t a very flattering invitation,” I said flatly.

He ignored me. “Let’s begin. No time to stand around idling. Start by inspecting the body. It seems she’s been hung up on the exercise equipment with a cord of some sort.”

“Um… Right.” _I guess I’m working with Togami-kun, then…_ I stepped forward, as close to Fujisaki’s body as I dared. All signs of who she was previously were gone. She hung limply, her chin to her chest and her arms outstretched, pulling her taut over the exercise equipment. Dried blood ran down her forehead. For once, I was glad for my small stature, unable to see her head wound from my position, as she was suspended quite high above the ground. _I don’t want to see it… I can’t believe that Fujisaki-san is gone, just like that…_

What I could see, though, was her face. It was a mask of terror, frozen in a scream of fear, her eyes wide open and glassy. I averted my gaze as quickly as I could, instead turning to look at her wrists.

Togami was right that she had been bound with a cord, both ends of it wrapping around each wrist and the metal bars of the equipment. _Is that a rope? ...No…_ I reached out and touched the cord lightly. _There’s a plug on the end of it… It’s an extension cord._ I withdrew, and took several shaky breaths as I stepped away from the body.

“Pardon me,” Kirigiri said, fearlessly approaching Fujisaki’s crucified form. She began to pat her down, seemingly indifferent, and I forced myself to wrench myself away, unwilling to watch.

I moved on to inspect the writing on the wall, but there wasn’t much to be found there. Just several neatly-drawn characters, smeared in thin streaks of crimson, as if painted with someone’s fingers.

“This body truly looks like it’s the work of Genocider Syo,” Togami remarked.

“But--”

“I know what you’re about to say,” he said, putting up a hand to stop me. “You think there’s no evidence that it could possibly be the real thing. But you’re wrong. Come with me to the library a moment.”

“Um. Sure. But I’m not quite finished here,” I said. Togami sighed deeply, tapping his foot with impatience. He arched an eyebrow and gestured for me to hurry up.

There was more blood to be found, aside from that which had been used to paint the message. There were flecks of blood on one of the posters behind the equipment. _Huh? That’s the same poster we had in the boys’ locker room_ , I noticed. It was a page torn from a magazine of a model in a swimsuit on hands and knees, gazing invitingly at the camera. _That doesn’t really seem to belong in a girls’ locker room, but…_ I shrugged it off for the time being.

Next, I looked at the carpet. A sticky red stain bloomed on it, a bed of scarlet flowers from where the killing blow had been struck. Beside the pool of blood was a medium-weight dumbbell. I bent to inspect it closer, and then stood back up quickly, feeling queasy at the mess of gore visible on one end of it. There was no doubt about what the murder weapon might have been.

“Naegi-kun,” Kirigiri said, and I looked up at where she was stepping away from the body, apparently having concluded looking it over. “I saw that you investigated the body already, correct?”

“Uh, yeah. Kinda, I guess.”

“How closely did you examine it?”

“...Uh? I don’t know.”

“I recommend that you look again,” Kirigiri said. “I have business to conduct elsewhere now, but you should be very thorough with your examination. Take your time looking at her entire body. Oh, and her handbook is missing, so you may want to look for that as well.” Before I could ask for further clarification, she was walking away, her heeled boots clicking loudly down the hall.

I hesitantly began to approach Fujisaki’s body again, but Togami interrupted me: “Naegi. It’s fine. You’ve looked at that closely enough. Let’s go to the library.”

“But…”

“Don’t argue with me,” he snipped. “Just come.”

Cowed, I followed him out of the locker rooms, not making eye contact with Ogami or Owada, who stood silent and stoic in the room.

“What a strange woman,” Togami said conversationally as we left the locker room. “Kirigiri seems to have no qualms patting down a corpse. She didn’t even flinch.”

I said nothing in response as Togami led me down the hall. We entered the library together, and Togami wasted no time in ushering me towards the back, to the archive room that he had previously prevented anyone else from accessing.

I coughed into my arm at the dust swirling around in the small archive room. Much like the library, there were shelves stacked high with books, but among the books were also plenty of file folders and boxes of things.

“There’s an incredible amount of dust in here,” I wheezed, my eyes watering.

“The knowledge contained herein is worth enduring a little dust,” Togami said. “Have a look around.”

I stepped forward, my attention immediately drawn to an empty box on the floor. There was a thick coat of dust on it, but there were imprints in that dust, as if something had been moved from its resting place. A length of coiled rope, perhaps? That’s certainly what it looked like.

Other than that, I leaned closer to one of the shelves.

“If you’re interested in reading the files, let me give you a warning,” Togami said, smirking. “Many of these files contain photographs of crime scenes. There are images that the average person may struggle to look at. These are unsolved case files from the police. Top-secret ones that were never made public.”

“O...kay…” I moved to the next shelf, and Togami sucked in a breath through his teeth.

“I’d be careful with that shelf. The material there is dangerous. Those are files that detail the personal information of the people who run the world. Truths that commoners such as yourself should go their whole lives without seeing. Files about the people in the shadows who pull the strings out of sight… If you don’t mind the idea of going missing and never being seen again, be my guest, and peruse them at your leisure.”

Wordlessly, I stepped up to the final shelf.

“Assassinations, coup d’etats, you name it,” Togami began. “You’ll find its details on that shelf there. Those documents are highly classified. Would you like to look?”

Exasperated, I backed away from all the shelves. “Why did you bring me here, Togami-kun? I don’t think I want to see any of this stuff.”

“Do you not understand the significance of this archive? This place is full to the brim with confidential information. State documents, internal police files, and other such secret material. It’s truly magnificent.”

“You’re really not joking…”

Togami rolled his eyes. “That’s a bad habit of yours, you know. Anything unfamiliar to you is something you dismiss as impossible. Anything that doesn’t fit the narrow scope of your meager reality is disregarded. You think it’s a lie. How foolish.”

“Well, this is just really weird!” I said defensively. “Who even has the means to gather this kind of stuff?!”

“Perhaps Hope’s Peak Academy gathered this information. Or perhaps it was the mastermind, to give us ample reading material… What’s with that look on your face? Do you still doubt it?”

“It’s just… all so insane. How come _you_ believe it, Togami-kun? I never took you for the conspiracy theorist type.”  
“Conspiracy..?” He frowned at me, blue eyes flashing dangerously behind his glasses. “The concept of _ordinary_ doesn’t truly exist, you know. You keep judging things based on your own standards, but there is so much more to the world than a common boy like you could ever dream of. The files gathered in this room are undoubtedly true. I should know. I’ve read many of them before.”

“You’ve… read them… before?”

“There is a similar room of documents at my family estate,” he said smugly. “The Togami Conglomerate is truly powerful, you know. It’s as I said: there are people around the world who control things from behind the scenes. I, too, can control this world like a puppet. I read through documents like these in my spare time for entertainment.”

_Togami-kun...is even more frightening than the mastermind._

“The files that always held the most interest to me,” he continued blithely, “were the cold cases. Unsolved crimes and mysteries. And the case of Genocider Syo was always a favorite.” He smiled wickedly, stalking over to the appropriate shelf and grabbing a thick file. “Everything known about Genocider Syo’s numerous crimes are contained here. There is a lot of information, so allow me to summarize. The first is that he always leaves the message _bloodstain fever_ written in the victim’s own blood at the scene. The second is that the victims are always--without fail--crucified.”

_So… It fits. That’s just how Fujisaki-san was killed…_

“Hold your amazement for a moment,” Togami said. “There’s more. The interesting part is the second part. The crucifixion. Because _that_ information is classified. Only the higher-ups in the police know about that. It was never hinted at by the media. Everyone knows about the bloody message, but only high-ranking officials and the killer himself know about the crucifixion. In other words…”

“How could Fujisaki-san’s killer have known?” I mused.

“Precisely. That’s how I know this murder was committed by the real Genocider Syo, and not a mere copycat. Nobody other than myself accessed the archives here in the library, which means that nobody here has read the casefile on Genocider Syo. The only conclusion to draw is that the serial killer himself is within this school.”

_An evil serial killer like that… is truly one of us? Genocider Syo?_

Something about Togami’s evidence didn’t sit right with me.

“I will allow you to peruse the file in more detail if you beg,” Togami said.

“May I please see it, Togami-kun?”

“...That’s a quite poor excuse for begging, but I suppose so.” He handed me the file.

I opened it to a random page and my mouth fell open, slack-jawed. Countless photos of countless blood crime scenes… The names of the victims in neat print…

_Genda Ken, age 32. Honda Tetsuhiro, age 17. Shouji Takeshi, age 23. Kanno Kazukiyo, age 14. Yoshida Takeshi, age 30. Komatsu Taro, Satono Takefumi, Youji Okuda, Takeda Erio, Tsuji Shu, Yumejima Yoshita, Ishi Naoji…_

The list was endless.

And the photos… I shuddered. So many young men, and all had been stabbed viciously, their corpses crucified--pinned to the wall with the same deadly weapons that had killed them: scissors, sharp and wicked.

_But… That’s different from what happened to Fujisaki-san…_

Togami interrupted my train of thought. “Look at the profiling,” he commanded. “I think you’ll find that section very interesting.”

 _Profiling results…_ “All the crimes were conducted on weekdays late at night,” I read aloud. “Or on weekends between noon and evening. The more frequent of the two time periods was midday on weekends. From the above, we can conclude that the culprit is likely a student. Further, there is evidence that the culprit lingered at the scene of each crime, but then left in a state of agitation. Based on this, it is possible that the culprit suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder…”

“In layman’s terms, a split personality,” Togami provided.

“Multiple personalities… Doesn’t that only happen on television?” I asked. Togami just looked down his nose at me in response. “Uh… Never mind…”

Togami took the file back from me and replaced it on the shelf, exhaling through his nose. “Anyway. That concludes our little bout of teamwork. I do believe I’ve given you some valuable information, so do with it what you will. I’ll speak with you again before the trial. Goodbye.”

And just like that, Togami and I parted ways. He left me in the library, and I was about to leave when something gave me pause. _There’s that desk lamp that Togami-kun uses to read in here… But where’s the extension cord that plugs into it? It’s unusable without it…_ I narrowed my eyes in thought as I exited the library.

I decided to head back to the locker rooms. I paused in front of the girls’ and then changed my mind, heading into the boys’ first on a hunch. I scanned the wall, plastered with posters, trying to identify the familiar one with the swimsuit model. _It was here… I’m sure of it…_

Something struck me as odd, though. _I think… that’s the spot where the bikini model was._ In the place of the generously-endowed woman was a poster for what appeared to be a boy-band. _Tornado..?_

I stepped closer, inspecting the poster. _This doesn’t seem to belong in a boys’ locker room… Could the two posters have been switched?_ I made a mental note to speak with someone more familiar with the locker rooms, and was about to leave, when one last thing caught my eye. A dark brown stain on one corner of the carpet that was draped across the floor.

_A stain? What could this be from? It’s not blood..._

My mind full of questions, I left the boys’ locker room and re-entered the girls’, where Owada and Ogami still stood guard. I took another quick look at Fujisaki’s body to confirm a suspicion I had: _The cord that’s tying her to the exercise equipment… It’s definitely the extension cord from the library! I wonder if Togami-kun noticed..?_

Putting the thought aside temporarily, I turned to face the other people in the room.

“Ogami-san, can I ask you something?” I said, waving a greeting to stony-faced Owada as I brushed past him.

“Certainly.”

“It’s about the posters here in these locker rooms. You spend a lot of time here, so I thought you might know… That poster of the swimsuit model seems kind of out of place, right?” I pointed to the blood-spattered poster in question.

“I suppose,” she said. “Though truthfully I didn’t pay much attention to the posters.”

“I think there was a poster of a boy-band there before. Called Tornado.”

“It’s possible.” She shrugged apologetically. “I’m sorry I can’t recall.”

“That’s alright. I’ve got another question for you… Yesterday, you mentioned that you spilled some protein coffee on the carpet in here, but… I don’t see a stain.”

“I did notice that,” she said, nodding. “It should’ve been right about...there...but it’s gone. No sign that it was ever here. Perhaps it was cleaned?”

“Actually, I have a different idea… Can you come with me for a second?”

“I believe I’m supposed to be guarding the crime scene…”

“I’m sure it’s alright for just a minute,” I reasoned. “Owada-kun, you can stand guard by yourself while we go to the boys’ locker room briefly, right?”

Owada scratched uncomfortably at the back of his scruffy neck. “Er. Yeah, I guess. ‘S not like I’m gonna do anything here on my own to fuck up the scene. I can’t even look at the damn kid.” Indeed, he seemed to refuse to look at where Fujisaki hung from the exercise equipment. _I can’t blame him for that…_

I led Ogami to the boys’ locker room, and her eyebrows crept up her forehead and towards her hairline.

“That’s… definitely the stain from my protein coffee,” she said, pointing at the mysterious brown splotch on the carpet.

“I thought it might be. Thanks for checking, Ogami-san.”

We returned to the girls’ locker room, only a moment or two having passed, and found Owada in the same place we’d left him, looking tired and angry and confused. _I’ll talk to him in a minute…_

“Ogami-san,” I said. “Do you think it’s possible that Fujisaki-san could’ve been killed somewhere else and then carried here? That’s my theory right now…”

“It’s possible,” Ogami hedged. “But I don’t think so. Although she was very small, and would’ve been easy to carry… I think she had a reason to come here of her own volition. She did say she wanted to exercise and get stronger, remember. It’s a shame she always refused my offers of assistance…”

“According to the Monokuma File, her time of death was around 2am,” I pointed out. “Why would she come here to exercise at that time?”

“Perhaps she was avoiding Asahina and myself,” Ogami said sadly.

I wanted to deny that, but then I remembered the conversation Fujisaki and I had had. _She did want to work out… and when I suggested Ogami-san, she said no. I wonder why…_

“Thanks for your help, Ogami-san,” I said, and she gave me a single nod.

Next, I turned to look at Owada and his weary expression. Before I could say anything, he spoke: “That kid had such an inferiority complex. Always talkin’ about how weak she was. She just wanted to train… and then… in this place…” He trailed off, gritting his teeth.

Leaving Owada and Ogami behind, I exited the locker rooms, pausing in the adjoining entrance room. To my surprise, Hagakure was there, closely inspecting the card-reading devices.

“Naegi-chi, it’s odd, eh?”

“Um. What’s odd, Hagakure-kun?”

He straightened up and grinned at me. “It’s so easy to get around these card-reader thingies. Didn’t ya see the thing in the main entrance hall of the school?”

“No..? What did you find?”

“There’s a mailbox in there, right? And it had these in it.” He pulled three electronic handbooks out of his pocket then, fanning them out in front of me.

“Whoa!” I said, and took one from him.

“Check it out,” he said. “Turn it on.”

Doing so, I found that a name lit up the screen: MAIZONO SAYAKA.

“This one belonged to Enoshima-chi,” Hagakure said, holding up another handbook. “And this one… Well, I’m assuming it had to be Kuwata-chi’s. But it’s busted. Prolly from being pummeled with all those baseballs.” He looked downtrodden then. “Can’t believe it, eh..?”

“Bzzt!” Monokuma screeched from out of nowhere, and I jumped. “These handbooks are practically indestructible! They can withstand tons of force--pun intended--so a few measly baseballs wouldn’t harm them!”

“Well, clearly, they did,” Hagakure pointed out.

“No way! This sort of state-of-the-art technology would never break so easily! They only have one weakness, and baseballs aren’t it!”

Before I could ask what the weakness was, Monokuma was skipping away, singing to himself as if to drown out the question he knew I was going to ask.

“Whatever,” I sighed, and handed the tablet back to Hagakure. “Thanks for showing me, Hagakure-kun. That might turn out to be helpful.”

As I walked down the stairs, I thought further about it. _If those handbooks were in the main hall’s mailbox, anyone could’ve taken one… And even though it’s against the rules to lend your handbook to someone, there’s no rule against stealing or borrowing one…_

I entered the dormitory area with a specific destination in mind, but was stopped by Asahina, who grabbed me by the arm. “Naegi! I need help,” she said desperately, and started dragging me towards the dorm hall. “Something’s weird! It’s Fukawa-san!”

“Whoa, what’s wrong with Fukawa-san?” I asked, wondering what could possibly have changed for the worse since last I saw her. We came to a stop outside of Fukawa’s door.

“After the way she acted in the girls’ changing room, we dropped her off in her room so she could rest, but… Now she won’t leave the room, and she keeps saying weird things!”

“Weird...things..?” At Asahina’s gesture, I rang the bell, and the door opened a fraction.

Fukawa was shaking and sweating as she peered out at me, only half her face visible. “Wh-W-What do you w-w-want,” she demanded hoarsely. “L-Leave me alone…I w-won’t let Sy-Syo win...” Without waiting for a response, she slammed the door.

“I think she blocked the door from inside,” Asahina explained. “I can’t get in.”

“Maybe she shares Togami-kun’s opinion,” I thought aloud. “Maybe she believes Genocider Syo is the one who killed Fujisaki-san, and she’s really scared of him..?”

“We have to find a way to put her at ease!”

Remembering when Fukawa shoved me into the library to talk with Togami, I sighed and said, “I think I might have an idea. Give me a minute.”

I wandered around for a little bit, and eventually found Togami in the storage room, where he and Celes seemed to be arguing about something.

“Um… Togami-kun?” I said hesitantly.

“I’m busy,” he barked.

“No, you aren’t,” Celes said, raising an eyebrow derisively. “I’ve told you, I will not speak with you about this.”

That gave me pause. “About what?”

“She is withholding information,” Togami said exasperatedly, and Celes merely giggled. “She keeps hinting at something and then refusing to spit it out.”

“I have no desire to tell someone such as yourself,” Celes said. “You are already at an advantage for this investigation. Goodbye.” She left the storage room, graceful and noiseless in a way that reminded me of a ghost.

“Togami-kun, I need your help with something.”

“What,” he spat, folding his arms over his chest and glaring at me.

“It’s Fukawa-san. She--”

“Fukawa?” His posture straightened at that. “Why didn’t you say so? Let’s go.”

I was surprised by his sudden willingness to help, trotting after him as quickly as I could as he headed towards Fukawa’s room.

“Did Togami agree to help?” Asahina asked. “Wow! I guess even someone like him is capable of being kind!”

Ignoring her, Togami rang the doorbell, and it opened a crack.

“I t-t-told you to leave me al-l-lone! Y-You’re being n-n-n-n--ah! Nogami-kun!” she shrieked.

“It’s Togami,” he said irritably.

“I...I…” Even though she was mostly hidden behind the door, I could still see the violence with which her whole body shook. “I’m sorry...Togami-kun...I c-c-couldn’t keep our p-pr-promise…B-But d-d-don’t worry! I w-won’t let th-that murderous fiend...Genocider Syo...I w-w-won’t let that m-m-m-monster win!” She shut the door again.

“So Togami couldn’t get her to come out either, huh,” Asahina said.

“There’s nothing we can do for now,” he sniffed. “Let’s return to our investigations…”

“Togami-kun, what did she mean by a promise?” I asked.

“Nevermind that. She’s deeply delusional.”

“But--”

“I said I have no idea,” he snapped. “Leave her to Asahina for now.” He marched away.

I trailed after him for a moment, but then someone called out to me.

“Celes-san?”

“Naegi-kun.” She smiled at me. “I’ve decided that you are an acceptable person to have this information.”

“Ah… The secret information that Togami-kun wanted to know?”

“Yes. I cannot tell him, I am afraid. He is already at too much of an advantage, given his intelligence and power… But a commoner like you might just benefit from this knowledge.”

“Great,” I said grumpily.

“Listen carefully, for I will say this only once, and to nobody but you, for you are a very special boy,” she warned. “Fujisaki-san was in the storage room last night.”

“Huh? You saw her?!”

“That’s right. It was just before night time. I asked her if she was about to go exercising, as she had a duffel bag with a tracksuit hanging out of it. When I pointed this out, she stuffed the tracksuit the rest of the way in as if she were trying to hide it, claimed that she was in a hurry, and ran off. I assumed that she was stocking up to go exercise in the morning, but… it appears that she headed straight to the locker room, ignoring our night time rule. If she had followed it, perhaps she would be alive now… Well, you get what you deserve, I suppose. She has only herself to blame.”

_So Ogami-san was right. Fujisaki-san went to the locker rooms of her own free will, to exercise… And she really was trying to hide from everyone. But why..?_

“Thanks for the information, Celes-san,” I said. “That’s helpful.”

“Hmhm. Of course it is. And as I said, I shan’t tell anyone else, so do your best to remember it.”

I left her in the hall near the storage room, heading into the cafeteria, which was where I had last seen Togami. However, he wasn’t in the cafeteria; Asahina was, though, sitting at a table on her own and eating something.

“Asahina-san, aren’t you supposed to be watching Fukawa-san?” I asked, approaching her cautiously.

“Got hungry. Don’t worry, I’ll go back as soon as I’m done with this donut. Nothing seems to be changing over there anyway, she just keeps babbling something about Genocider Syo. _Man_ , this donut is good...” She suddenly looked mournful, an expression that was somewhat lessened by the scattered crumbs all across her face. “I wonder if Fujisaki-chan liked donuts… I should’ve tried to be her friend more when I had the chance.” She looked up at me then. “Say, you were pretty good friends with her, right? I saw you two together a lot. Do you know if she liked donuts?”

“Uh… She never mentioned it.”

“Isn’t it strange, though?” Asahina carried on. “She hung out with you the most. And some of the other boys, too. But it was like she was scared of all the girls or something. She never wanted to hang out with me and Sakura-chan, or any of the other girls. She was kinda weird.” Asahina took another large bite of her donut, chewing thoughtfully.

“I guess she was kinda shy..?”

“Maybe she was the flirtatious type!” Asahina said excitedly. “She liked talking to boys because she liked the attention, maybe! Even though she didn’t really look like it, I bet that was it. Can’t judge someone based on how they look, right?”

“Maybe… I’m gonna go check something, Asahina-san. I’ll see you in a bit.”

I jogged down the hall towards the dorm areas, but I breezed right past Fukawa’s. My destination was a different room: Fujisaki’s. Monokuma had mentioned that the doors would be unlocked, so maybe..?

Indeed, Fujisaki’s room was just as accessible as the locker rooms had been. I remembered when she had invited me in so fearlessly, and we had sat on her bed and talked…

Brushing the thought aside, I walked over to the desk, searching its surface. _Kirigiri-san said that Fujisaki-san’s handbook was missing, so maybe it’s here..? Hagakure-kun didn’t say it was in the mailbox, so…_

I didn’t find the handbook, but I did see one odd thing: a small bronze key, the kind that would go to the lockers in the public bath.

 _Why does she have this..?_ I wondered. I left her room and headed towards the public bath, thinking that maybe I’d find her handbook in the locker that corresponded to the key, but as I entered, I spotted Yamada.

“Ah, Naegi Makoto-dono!” he crowed. “Have you come to inspect the public baths as well? Well! Unfortunately for you, I have already gathered up all of the evidence that there is to be found in here!” He placed his hands on his hips triumphantly.

“What did you find, Yamada-kun?” I asked, my curiosity piqued.

“Well, that’s a secret,” he said, smiling. “I shall unveil it at the most opportune moment! Hehe…”

Annoyed, I opened my mouth to argue, but I was interrupted by the sound of Monokuma’s voice over the loudspeaker: “Ehh… I’m getting bored. Let’s start this thing already! Everyone please convene in front of the red doors on the first floor of the school. It’s time for the trial that everyone has been waiting for! I’ll see you soon…”

_The trial… No! I wasn’t done investigating! I haven’t found her handbook, and I want to see what this key goes to…_

But there was no use fighting it. The trial awaited.

Yamada and I made our way towards the red door. Beside me, he mumbled, “Chihiro-tan was truly remarkable… Exceptional, even for a 3D girl…”

Soon, we had almost all gathered in the elevator behind the ominous doors.

“We’re missing Fukawa,” Togami said.

“She’s here,” Monokuma announced, and we all turned to see him dragging Fukawa by the braids into the elevator. “Can’t have her skipping out on the trial when she’s such an important part of it!”

“Let me go!” she cried shrilly, finally managing to fight him off as the elevator doors slid closed.

“Calm yourself,” Ogami instructed. “It’s time to begin. Let us go reveal the evildoer who would kill the weak.”

Fukawa shuddered at her words and said nothing.

_Fujisaki Chihiro-san… She was so sweet and kind… She couldn’t possibly hurt anyone… And yet there’s someone among us who’s capable of killing a person like that…_

The elevator began to descend. It carried us--our whirlpool of thoughts, of suspicions, of emotions--down into the belly of the school. As it went further, our sense of unease grew stronger, the metal clanging of the elevator in our ears. And then it stopped and the doors screeched open.

Just like that, it began again. The curtain was about to open on this deadly courtroom. A deadly deception… A deadly betrayal… A deadly riddle… A deadly defense… A deadly vindication… A deadly faith… A deadly class trial.

絶望

“Let’s start with a simple explanation of our school trial. The result of the trial is determined by your own votes. If the correct culprit is chosen, they alone will be punished. However, if the wrong person is voted for, everyone besides the culprit will be punished, and the blackened criminal who deceived everyone will be allowed to leave the school alone. Well then! Let’s begin with a discussion of the murder weapon!” Monokuma reclined in his throne, his wicked grin turning my stomach.

“Fujisaki’s fatal injury was a blow to the head,” Ogami began.

“Prolly from, like, a blunt object or something, eh?” Hagakure added.

“That’s right,” I said, trying not to look as nauseous as I felt. I remembered the dumbbell with the bloodstain on one end, the clump of viscera that clung to it. “The murder weapon was the bloody dumbbell at the scene of the crime.”

“The victim’s head wound was consistent with the shape of the dumbbell,” Kirigiri agreed. “There is no margin for doubt. The dumbbell is the correct answer.”

“You examined… her head wound?” Asahina said, looking ill.

“How disgusting!” remarked Yamada, his eyes wide.

Kirigiri made no response.

“Now that that simple matter is out of the way,” Togami said, “let’s move on and discuss the identity of the culprit. Or rather, how clear the culprit’s identity already is.”

“Huh?” Hagakure gasped. “You serious?”

“Deadly serious. The culprit who murdered Fujisaki Chihiro is none other than the infamous serial killer Genocider Syo. It’s indisputable.”

“That’s impossible,” Asahina said, laughing uneasily, as if Togami had just made a joke in poor taste. “No matter how you look at it… there’s no way one of us is Genocider Syo.”

“Well,” I said hesitantly. “Togami-kun has something of a point… There is a little bit of evidence that Genocider Syo could be involved. There’s a summary of the Genocider Syo case file in the archive room of the library. A top-secret police document, unavailable to the public...”

“How the hell is somethin’ like that in a place like this?” demanded Owada. “Makes no sense.”

“To explain that would be tiresome,” Togami said, sighing. “Let’s keep this brief. In any case, the special characteristics of Genocider Syo’s murders are listed in minute detail. According to the file, there are two such special characteristics… The first, a message written in blood--”

“Big boobie fever,” Yamada said seriously.

“Bloodstain fever,” Asahina growled back.

“The important matter is the second characteristic,” Togami continued. “A matter that was never made public. Tell them what it is, Naegi.”

“Um… Well, Genocider Syo always crucifies his victims. But… other than the killer himself, and powerful people like Togami-kun, the only people who knew about that were higher-ups in the police and government.”

“But in our case, Fujisaki was most certainly crucified,” Togami said. “And how did the culprit know to do that? It was restricted information after all. The simple answer is obvious: the culprit was the real Genocider Syo.”

“There’s no way yer fuckin’ serious…”

“Do you really mean to say,” Celes said, arching a skeptical eyebrow, “that Genocider Syo is one among us? That seems...”

“It’s perfectly accurate,” Togami confirmed. “Genocider Syo _is_ one of us. As a matter of fact, it’s Fukawa Touko.”

My back straightened, and I felt a drop of sweat run down my temple. _Fukawa-san..?_

Fukawa’s eyes had gone wide, and she was standing ramrod-rigid. “E-Eh..?”

“...What?” Asahina said.

“I said that Genocider Syo’s true identity is Fukawa Touko. Try to keep up.”

“No way!” Yamada squealed.

“Eh? Eh? Eh? Huh? H-Huh?” Fukawa stammered, her hands up near her face as if to protect herself.

“Wait a second,” Asahina interrupted. “Fukawa-chan is weak to blood, remember? I’ve never heard of a serial killer who’s afraid of blood!”

“The answer to that is simpler than you may think. I suppose you could say that Fukawa, in this instance, is both a Syo and a no-show.” Togami smirked at his own pun.

“Quit speaking in riddles, eh?” Hagakure begged.

_It does certainly sound like a riddle, but… I think I know what he means. Fukawa-san both is and is not Genocider Syo… and that’s because…_

“She has a split personality.” I finished the thought out loud. “Something to that effect was written in the casefile. The culprit is assumed to have Dissociative Identity Disorder.”

“A-And that’s why you think that Fukawa Touko-dono… is…”

“I don’t just _think_ it,” Togami scoffed. “I know it for a fact. You all saw her second personality make an appearance, too. Right after the discovery of Fujisaki’s corpse.”

“Her mannerisms and speech did change completely,” Yamada recalled. “Even her stutter went away…”

“You’re right!” Ishimaru agreed. “That gloomy tone of hers vanished completely!”

“D-D-Don’t go assigning adjectives to my _tone_ w-without permission!” Fukawa said.

Togami continued, “Furthermore, when she returned to consciousness, the sight of Fujisaki’s corpse no longer bothered her. In short, before your very eyes, a person who can’t stand the sight of blood turned into one who can.”

“But… didn’t she lock herself in her room to protect herself from Genocider Syo?” Asahina asked.

“She didn’t do that to keep Genocider Syo from getting in. She did it to keep Genocider Syo from getting _out_. Of course she was terrified. Fukawa Touko was scared indeed. Scared that the murderous fiend within her would continue to take lives…”

“H-H-H…” Fukawa bit out, her voice shaking. “H-H...H-How..?”

“Yeah!” Asahina was quick to defend her, demanding of Togami, “How can you possibly know all this?”

“You misunderstood the question she was asking, Asahina,” Togami said, a wicked smile on his face. “Fukawa is not asking _How can you know this?_ Rather, she’s asking _How could you tell them?_ ”

Fukawa continued to make strange guttural noises, sounds of fear and anger.

Uncaring, Togami continued: “That girl came to me asking for advice yesterday evening. In fact, it was just before Monokuma presented the motive to us… She told me a deeply interesting story. She said there’s a serial killer living inside her… and that she will live in fear forever unless she finds a way to abolish it. She turns people away out of fear of hurting them, but she recognized my strength. She begged me to help keep that killer at bay while we were here, but… it seems that her willpower was somewhat lacking. The killer broke free. What a shame.” He sneered, looking down his nose at Fukawa as if she were something disgusting he’d stepped in.

“Fukawa-chan, he’s a liar, right?” Asahina pressed.

“Uh...Uhhh…” Fukawa clutched at her head as if in pain, her eyes screwed tightly shut, glasses slipping down her nose as she sweated profusely. “Y-You… said you w-wouldn’t tell… W-We made a p-promise…”

“Don’t pin this on me,” Togami snapped. “I never asked to hear your pathetic story. This is the real world, not an imaginary romance novel. I had no reason to keep your secret. Furthermore, it was you who broke our promise first. You claimed that you wouldn’t let Genocider Syo have control anymore. You claimed that you wouldn’t let Syo kill. And yet here we are. You just couldn’t resist the pleasure of killing, could you?”

I remembered standing in front of Fukawa’s door. _She did say something about breaking a promise, didn’t she..?_

“I-I-I tr-tried my best,” she whimpered. “I tried to c-control her…”

“And your efforts were for nothing. How embarrassing for you.”

“Y-You’re so… cruel…” Fukawa was crying now, her face beet-red. “I...I hate you!”

“You say that like it’s something I care about. No, all I care about right now is hearing from the culprit themself. Genocider Syo.”

“N-N-No--”

Suddenly, from apparently nowhere, Togami procured something small and sharp: a paring knife from the kitchen.

“W-Wait--”

A few people, myself included, let out gasps of shock as Togami made a quick slash with the knife across the pad of his left thumb, holding the appendage up and displaying it as blood oozed from the small cut.

The effect was immediate: Fukawa toppled backwards, crashing to the ground too fast for anyone to try and catch her or soften the fall. Ogami rushed to her side, placing a large and gentle hand on her, but mere moments passed before Fukawa was on her feet again, looking around the courtroom with wide bright eyes. There was unrestrained joy on her face--an expression I hadn’t seen her wear before.

“Hello, hello, hello!” she crooned, and Togami stowed the knife quickly, pressing a handkerchief against the injury on his thumb.

“Eek! What happened!?” Yamada cried.

“Ah-hahaha! It’s good to see you all again!” Syo cackled. “Genocider Syo, the Super High School Level Murderer, at your service! _Not_ Fukawa Touko--that girl’s a total loser! Kyahahaha!”

“This chick is nuts,” Owada exclaimed.

“F-Fukawa-kun?” Ishimaru gasped.

“So maybe I’m a killer! Is there something so wrong with that? You should try to look past a person’s flaws! Besides, I’m sound in murderous body and sound in murderous soul! Kyahahaha!”

“This is… overwhelmingly different from her usual morose self,” Ogami observed.

“Well, like I said earlier, everything is composed of innings and outings! Behind each lie is a little truth, and behind each truth is a little lie! Behind every dark and gloomy personality shines another that’s as bright as the sun! Kyahahaha!”

“Um...Genocider Syo-san...I have a question for you,” Yamada began hesitantly.

“What’s up?” she asked, clasping her hands in front of her and smiling innocently, her eyes wide and gleaming.

“There’s talk among us that you’re the mastermind behind this killing game… What are your thoughts on that?”

“Ah, time for the big reveal! Of course it’s me! I am… the mastermind of all masterminds! Kyahahaha!” She grinned toothily, her tongue hanging out of her mouth like a dog. “Just kidding! I’ve got nothing to do with whatever this is.”

“You’re really not behind this?” I clarified.

“Of course she’s not!” Monokuma chirped. “Don’t confuse me for a weirdo like that! It’s insulting! Almost as insulting as how terrible the police are at their jobs, letting a whack-job like this run around!”

“Maybe I’m a dangerous person,” Syo spoke up. “But that’s a part of life. To live is to hurt others, you know. Or something like that! Kyahaha!”

“I hope the truth is apparent to you all now,” Togami said, fixing his gaze on me and holding eye contact. “This is the murderer who killed Fujisaki. Unless you have reason for doubt..?”

“Well…” I started, but Togami continued to speak.

“And it’s obvious what her motive was. In twenty-four hours, Monokuma was going to reveal a shocking secret to the world: that Fukawa Touko is Genocider Syo. It would ruin her life. It’s certainly a secret worth killing over.”

“Ah, I see, I see, I see, I see,” Fukawa said, nodding. “Too bad that’s wrong! I didn’t kill anyone this time!”

“I don’t think anyone but a serial killer like you could murder in such a bizarre fashion,” Celes murmured.

“I have a difficult time believing that such a heinous person could be innocent,” Ogami agreed.

“Yeah!” Asahina piped up. “No way are we going to take a murderer’s word for it!”

“Hold on a second,” I said, and everyone turned to look at me. “I, uh. Well, I think that something’s amiss here… Fujisaki-san’s murder and Genocider Syo’s past crimes don’t quite match up. The crucifixion and the bloody message, sure, but…”

“Eh? There are differences?” Hagakure asked.

“Hey, hey! How could anyone fail to see them!?” demanded Syo. “My murders are passionate and faithful! I am a top-class killer, after all! A perfectionist! A famous ramen restaurant that’s particular about every little individual noodle wouldn’t just start using instant ramen! This Fujisaki Chihiro murder is a poor copy of my outstanding work!”

“Let me try and put that more clearly,” I said. “The cause of death is very different. Fujisaki-san was killed with a blow to the head, but Genocider Syo’s victims have always been stabbed to death. Wouldn’t it be strange to change her method this time?”

“That’s right!” Syo grinned at me. “And, and, and! If the bloody message is the pork slice in the ramen bowl, then the crucifixion is the boiled egg! You’ve got it right, Ma-kun!”

“Ma-kun..? Is that me..?” I asked.

“Let’s stop with the ramen imagery, eh..?” Hagakure pleaded.

“Anyway. Fujisaki-san was crucified with an extension cord,” I continued. “Genocider Syo pins her victims to the wall using the same scissors that she commits the murders with.”

“My hand-crafted scissors are perfect for killing _and_ crucifying! The tools of the trade are vital! Kyahaha!”

“And there’s one more difference,” I said, trying to ignore Syo. “Genocider Syo’s victims up to this point have all been men.”

“Kyahaha! Ah, I’m so turned on by killing moe young men! I’m a full-on fujoshi! I can’t believe I admitted it! I’m so embarrassed! Hahaha!” Her laughter was like the chattering of a hyena pack, loud and unhinged.

“So there it is,” I said. “She wouldn’t kill Fujisaki-san.”

Syo tilted her head to the side suddenly. “Hm? I wouldn’t? I wouldn’t kill the little loli-girl! Ahahaha!”

“All of these differences are irrelevant,” Togami said suddenly. “When it comes to a matter of survival, the story changes. If she had to make do with what she had available to her--”

“What am I, a loser?!” Syo said. “I would, like, _never_ kill someone for as petty and cheap of a reason as survival! And if I _did_ , well, why would I bother with my calling card? If it’s not for the sake of art, why bother signing it?! And besides, I’d never leave out my beloved scissors!”

“Well, you did say that your scissors are hand-crafted,” Yamada pointed out. “So if you don’t have any with you…”

“Don’t have any with me..? Are you sure about that?” She leered at him, wide eyes bloodshot and full of malice. With a flourish, she dragged up the edge of her skirt, hiking it all the way to her thigh, where I caught a glimpse of a patchwork of scars. Several pairs of scissors flashed brightly from where they were strapped to her leg, and she withdrew four of them. Dropping the edge of her skirt back, she brandished the scissors, twirling them around her fingers with expert skill and cackling as she did it.

“Gah! She came fully equipped!” Yamada exclaimed.

“I can kill anywhere, anytime!” she sang. “Since my beloved scissors are always with me, there’s no need to resort to using a big heavy dumbbell, or a rope! Can’t argue with that, can you losers!? Besides, I have no idea how to tie a good knot, so that method of crucifixion is out of the question!”

“Is this serial killer really not the culprit..?” Ishimaru said. “I’m having doubts…”

“But… that kid’s body was definitely crucified, and that was private information or whatever, right?” Owada pointed out. “That’s the reason we decided this wasn’t a copycat crime.”

“You’re not wrong, Owada-kun…” I said. “But… there’s something else. Togami-kun even said it himself. He had previously read the Genocider Syo casefile. He has access to certain privileges like that because of his status. Aside from Genocider Syo herself, he would’ve known the details of the crimes… Isn’t that right, Togami-kun?”

Togami arched an eyebrow at me and said nothing.

“Togami Byakuya-dono is the culprit..?”

“That would be why Togami-kun has been pushing so hard for us to accept Genocider Syo as the killer,” Celes mused. “He was attempting to frame her for his own crime. He made use of the confession that Fukawa-san made…”

“So the one who copied my murders was the prettyboy with the glasses? Gahaha! What a turn-on!”

“What do you have to say for yourself, Togami-kun? Answer quickly!” Ishimaru commanded.

“So I’m the suspicious one now,” Togami said, smiling. “I see… Good. Very good. But let me ask you this: what was the first suspicious thing I did, Naegi? It was quite a while ago, you should recall.”

 _Huh? Is this… a confession?_ I wondered.

“Thinking back on it now, there was something odd that you did even before we discovered Fujisaki-san’s body,” I said, thinking aloud. “You seemed to know exactly where to go… You insisted that we start with the second floor, and you seemed bored while I was checking the empty classrooms… When we got to the changing rooms, you perked up a bit, and when I went to check the boys’ room first, you told me to start with the girls’ instead.”

“Naturally I would insist we start with the girls’ locker room,” Togami scoffed. “The victim was Fujisaki Chihiro. Of course her body wouldn’t be in the boys’ locker room.”

“But you shouldn’t have known at that point who the victim was, Togami-kun!”

He paused, considering. “I see,” he said slowly. “That’s a good answer. You’re a smarter young man than I would’ve guessed, Naegi Makoto. But your reasoning is still weak. If you really think I’m the culprit, you’ll need more evidence. So, go on. What else do you have?”

_Why is he goading me like this? It’s like he doesn’t even care if we find him guilty. Togami-kun should be panicking right now, by all means. He’s so calm and detached, like this has nothing to do with him._

“There _is_ more evidence,” I said. “The extension cord that was used to bind Fujisaki-san… That was the extension cord from the library. The one you use to read all the time, Togami-kun! You can’t possibly have failed to notice it was gone… Unless you were the one who took it.”

“So your conclusion is as follows,” Togami said. “After I killed Fujisaki Chihiro in the girls’ changing room, I crucified the body and wrote the message in blood, solely to pin the crime on Fukawa Touko’s alternate personality.”

“...Right,” I said, trying to keep the hesitation out of my voice.

“So that fucker Togami is the culprit. I knew that kid would end up killing someone,” growled Owada.

“I’m in the opposite of the opposite of full agreement!” Syo giggled.

“It certainly seems like something Togami-kun would do,” said Ishimaru. “He did say that this is all a game, after all.”

“So let’s vote then, eh?” Hagakure suggested.

“Wait,” I said. “I...I’m not ready to vote yet. Please, can we have a little longer?”

“Why do you doubt your conclusion?” Togami asked, voice clipped. “I killed Fujisaki in the locker room and made it look like the work of a deranged lunatic. That’s what the evidence says, right?”

“No,” I said, the answer dawning on me. “There’s something we still haven’t discussed yet, and that’s the scene of the crime.”

“The scene...of the crime..?”

“That’s right! Isn’t it possible that Fujisaki-san was killed elsewhere and then moved to the girls’ locker room?”

Togami furrowed his brow, looking away. “That’s...disappointing. I thought you were intelligent, Naegi. How could the scene of the crime possibly have been anywhere other than the girls’ locker room? I don’t know what I expected from you, but it certainly wasn’t such a foolish suggestion...What a shame.”

“No, I’m pretty sure,” I insisted. “I think that the whole crime scene was moved from one location to another.”

“The whole...crime scene?” Togami echoed. “Surely if you’re making such a bizarre claim, you must have some evidence to support it.”

“I do,” I confirmed, nodding resolutely. Before I continued, I noticed something odd. Togami was shaking. Up until now, he had been so collected. _Could it be that he never noticed? He didn’t consider that Fujisaki-san was killed elsewhere, and now I’ve thrown him for a loop?_ Making a note of his confusion, I continued, “The posters. In the girls’ changing room was a gravure idol poster… A swimsuit model. Isn’t that odd for that location? And in the boys’ locker room was a poster of the boy band Tornado. I’m sure it wasn’t there before… In fact, the swimsuit model was in the boys’ locker room before the crime. Meaning the posters got switched. And it’s easy to see why: there’s blood on the swimsuit poster. The killing blow must’ve been struck right in front of the poster. And that’s not all that was switched. Right, Ogami-san?”

“The carpets in the locker rooms were changed as well,” she agreed. “I recognized the stain from when I spilled protein coffee, but the carpet had been moved to the boys’ locker room.”

“So the culprit switched the blood-stained poster and the blood-stained carpet,” Celes reasoned. “But for what purpose?”

“To make us think that the crime had been committed in the girls’ locker room, of course,” I said.

“But _why_? And furthermore, Naegi-kun, if you’re so certain of that, then how could Fujisaki-san have gotten into the boys’ locker room in the first place?”

“Good question, Celes-san. I think it must have something to do with the student handbooks…”

“I have some evidence for that,” Hagakure said.

“Oh. You? How disappointing,” Celes sighed.

“Hey! Listen here, eh? Look, all that Fujisaki-chi had to do was use the thing that was in the main hall. There was a mailbox with three handbooks in it. Enoshima-chi’s, Maizono-chi’s, and… well, presumably Kuwata-chi’s.”

“No, I think that’s wrong,” I said. “I don’t think Fujisaki-san could’ve used Kuwata-kun’s handbook. It was broken, remember? It wouldn’t turn on, so she couldn’t have gotten into the locker room with it.”

“Oh, yeah! Okay, so I guess that’s impossible,” Hagakure said, and laughed.

“I am struck silent by how easily you give up,” Ogami noted.

“Well, maybe she used her Super High School Level Programmer skills and hacked the handbook,” Ishimaru suggested.

“Bzzt! No way!” Monokuma said. “My electronic handbooks are hacking-proof! Not only that, but they only have one weakness, so they’re very difficult to break!”

“If she didn’t hack her handbook, then it seems that Naegi Makoto-dono’s reasoning was simply incorrect.”

“There’s no way she coulda got into the boys’ locker room, so I guess so,” Asahina said, shrugging.

“Then I vote for Togami-kun!” Ishimaru announced.

“Wait a moment,” Kirigiri interrupted. “You’re all missing the obvious here. I think Naegi-kun is on the right track, you’re all just failing to see the simplest answer.”

“The simplest...answer..?”

“You kept your mouth shut all this time, and when you finally open it, that’s what you’ve got to say?” griped Owada. “That kid couldn’t have gotten into the boys’ room, so that’s that. End of story.”

“Why are you so sure?” demanded Kirigiri. “Owada, there _is_ another solution.” She turned to look at me then. “Naegi-kun, did you follow my advice? How closely did you inspect the body?”

“Er… Well, a little…”

She folded her arms over her chest, pursing her lips. “Not well enough, it seems. Had you, you would surely have discovered that Fujisaki Chihiro was male.”

Kirigiri’s declaration was met with resounding silence.

“You aren’t joking,” Ogami said stiffly.

“No.”

“Th-Then...Fujisaki-kun was…” Ishimaru said.

“I am one hundred percent sure of that, yes. Fujisaki-san was biologically a boy.”

“N-No way… Shut the f-fuck up,” Owada stammered, his face red. “Th-That’s...an ugly rumor to spread, Kirigiri.”

“It’s no rumor,” Monokuma said gleefully. “You guys didn’t know that Fujisaki Chihiro was a boy in a dress? Heck, I knew that all along!” Procuring a huge poster board from nowhere, Monokuma scrawled something down in marker, and then held it up like a sign. _OTOKONOKO_ , it said. _Cross-dresser._

“I can’t believe it,” Asahina said. “I really can’t.”

“I think… I can,” I said. I recalled that Fujisaki had been searching for a boy to train with. I recalled Fujisaki’s reaction to the cute kitten hair clip. I recalled Fujisaki’s reticence to wear a bathing suit. I recalled Fujisaki using a screwdriver to fix the laptop--I had assumed the tool was borrowed, but… all the boys got a toolkit of their own, with a screwdriver. 

It fit.

“Think about it a little, and you’ll see that it makes sense,” Kirigiri said. “Fujisaki-san was male, and that’s how she got into the boys’ locker room. And then when the killer wanted to switch the crime scenes, all they’d need to do to get into the girls’ locker room is borrow Enoshima-san’s or Maizono-san’s handbook.”

“You keep calling him a _she_ , you know,” Monokuma pointed out.

Kirigiri shifted uncomfortably where she stood. “Well… We don’t really know what she thought…”

“I’ll tell you what Fujisaki-kun thought,” he announced. “He was a boy, through and through! He dressed like a girl, sure, but in his chest beat the heart of a young man!”

“So… it’s not a mistake to call Fujisaki-kun a ‘he’?” Ishimaru verified.

“Would I lie to you?” Monokuma said sweetly, propping his chin up on his paws like the picture of innocence.

“Probably,” Kirigiri said. “But I’m going to take you at your word this time. So: Fujisaki-kun was a boy. And naturally he had no trouble accessing the boys’ locker room.”

“You know,” I said, something dawning on me, “if it’s really the case, then that means the killer has to be a boy. Kuwata-kun’s handbook was broken, so the killer would’ve had to use their own to get into the boys’ room and commit the murder.”

“That’s right,” Kirigiri said, smiling at me, and I stood up a little straighter as pride flooded through me.

“I’ll say that when I picked up his body, something about him did feel a little incongruent,” Togami said hesitantly. “I should’ve suspected that he was male.”

“Kyahahaha!” Syo giggled, pointing at Kirigiri. “And to think I was going to accuse you of enjoying the smell of lilies when you said you groped the body! Ahahaha!”

Ignoring Syo, Kirigiri continued to stare at me. “Well, Naegi-kun? Do you still believe Togami-kun to be the culprit? He did just confess to carrying the body, after all.”

“Well… I think there’s no doubt that Togami-kun is the one who made it look like it was Genocider Syo,” I said thoughtfully. “But… I’m not so sure he’s the culprit after all. He didn’t know about Fujisaki-kun’s sex, nor about the crime scene switch… and the killer would have to have known those things.”

“Wasn’t it you who accused him in the first place, Naegi Makoto-dono?”

“Yes, but now that we’ve discussed it a little more… I don’t think it was him. He’s far too detached about it all. Not only that, but the evidence left behind seems a little too...how do I put this? ...Overt. Togami-kun is smarter than that. He used the library extension cord consciously, knowing that it could tie him to the murder.”

“I see,” Togami said, pushing his glasses up his nose. “Well, it bothers me that you don’t have more concrete evidence, but… I suppose I’ll mark it as correct for now. It’s true that I staged the crime scene, but I am not the culprit. I merely stumbled upon Fujisaki’s corpse and decided to liven things up a little.”

“Y...You bastard,” spat Owada. “You did this just to fuck with us? You desecrated Fujisaki’s corpse as a prank? I’ll fucking kill you.”

“Oi, Naegi. Tell me this: since you know I’m not the culprit, who do you think it is?”

“I...I don’t have an answer just yet…”

“Naegi-kun is right to be reluctant to make an accusation right now,” Kirigiri said. “After all, he hasn’t come to a conclusion about everything just yet. All we know for sure that the killer must be male, since he was able to access the boys’ locker room. We can’t make a mistake in judgement here. But I’ll tell you this, Naegi-kun: the killer has dug his own grave. He has made a vital error and exposed himself. All you need to do is identify it.”

“An error?” I repeated. “You know who the killer is?”

“Yes. And so should you.”

“Wh-What?” snapped Owada. “How could you possibly know?”

“Yeah, I didn’t hear any errors,” Asahina said.

“Well, let’s start by going over everything we know,” I said. “Hmm… The last person to see Fujisaki-kun alive, aside from the killer, was Celes-san. So--”

“Eh? Celes-chi saw him?” Hagakure asked.

“Ah, that’s right. I forgot, she only told me. Right, Celes-san?”

“That’s right. Naegi-kun is the only person I blessed with this information. But I suppose that now is as good a time as any to reveal it to the rest of you all. I did indeed see Fujisaki-san--Fujisaki- _kun_... last night.”

“You--Why didn’t you say anything sooner?!” Owada said.

“No matter. Listen carefully now. I saw the victim last night, stuffing a track jacket into a duffel bag. He was in a hurry, and seemed to be trying to hide it. I assume he was going to go meet someone to exercise--someone who then killed him.”

“So Fujisaki Chihiro-dono made a plan to meet with her killer…”

“It must have been someone she trusted very much,” Celes carried on. “Someone he was willing to tell his secret to.”

“It makes sense now, why Fujisaki always refused when Asahina and I invited her to exercise,” Ogami observed.

“I am certain that that is the case. And that is why he went under cover of darkness.”

“The culprit must have disposed of the track jacket and duffel bag last night, then,” Ishimaru noted, “since there was no trace of such an item at the crime scene.”

“That’s right,” Kirigiri said. “And that tracksuit is a very important clue.”

“It is?” I said, surprised. Kirigiri just stared at me, not replying. _What could be important about the track suit? Kirigiri-san didn’t even know it existed until just now, so why does she think it’s important?_

“What’s important about the track suit if we don’t have it?” Ishimaru asked.

“Think about it for a second,” Kirigiri said. “There’s one person here already who stands out to me as suspicious. I’m certain that he’s the killer, and the track suit only adds to that evidence.”

“Maybe...Maybe he chose a specific tracksuit?” Ishimaru guessed. “Maybe...to match the one the culprit was wearing? There’s a wide variety in the warehouse...”

“S-So all we have to do to find the culprit is find the person with a tracksuit that matches the blue one that Fujisaki got from the warehouse, right?” Owada jumped in. “Well, my tracksuit is black.”

“Mine’s white,” Hagakure supplied.

“I never picked up a tracksuit from the warehouse,” Yamada said, “because exercising sucks.”

“Yet another careless comment,” Kirigiri sighed. “You heard it, right, Naegi-kun? Surely you know who the culprit is now.”

“What!? How? Who is it?” demanded Owada.

“Owada-kun,” I said, the answer breaking over me like a wave. “It’s you.”

“Wh-What? Why would you say that?” he barked, his eyes bugging and his hands clenching into fists.

“A minute ago, when Celes-san gave her testimony, all she said was that Fujisaki-san got a track jacket from the storage room. She didn’t mention a color. So why did you say that he had a blue tracksuit?”

“Huh? Uh, huh?”

“Celes,” Togami interrupted. “What color _was_ Fujisaki’s tracksuit?”

“As a matter of fact, it was blue,” she said coolly.

“And we’ve already established that Celes-san didn’t tell anyone but me,” I pointed out. “So, Owada-kun. Tell me how you knew the color. It was a very lucky guess.”

“He probably found the jersey at some point during the investigation. Right, aniki?” Ishimaru said, his face twisted into an expression of doubt.

“He probably saw Chi-tan before he died, right?” Syo called out.

Asahina quietly asked, “Chi-tan? You mean Fujisaki-chan?”

“I… I saw the kid walking down the hallway with it last night, that’s all,” Owada stammered. “I just saw him, that’s all. He had it in his hands.”

“But Celes-san said that Fujisaki-san shoved the jacket into the duffel bag like she--like _he_ \--was in a hurry,” I recalled.

“It seems you’ve dug your own grave, Owada,” Kirigiri said smugly.

“He may have,” Togami said, smirking, “but you handed him the shovel, didn’t you? The tracksuit wasn’t an important clue at all. You said that to put him on edge. Make him nervous so that he’d slip up.”

“That’s right,” Kirigiri said.

_Ah, so that’s why she jumped on that evidence so quickly! I knew it was strange…_

“Owada was the target of my suspicions all along, though,” Kirigiri continued. “He tends to refer to men and women differently. Specifically, he refers to boys as _kid_ . He never calls girls _kid_ , and yet he has called Fujisaki-kun _kid_ multiple times since the body was discovered. When I heard him say that for the first time in the girls’ locker room, I knew he knew something we didn’t. That’s what prompted me to investigate Fujisaki-kun’s body more carefully.”

“You noticed such a tiny detail?” Syo exclaimed. “Impressive! Impressive and terrifying!”

“I’m not the terrifying one,” Kirigiri argued. “The terrifying person is the person who is capable of killing a friend. Owada.”

“I-I-I-I,” Owada blustered. “I--I didn’t kill him! You keep jumping on me and putting words in my mouth, making it seem like I’m the culprit! She’s treating me like a criminal for no good reason!”

“This is a false accusation,” Ishimaru shouted. “My aniki would never do something like that!”

“I’ll admit my reasoning is weak,” Kirigiri confessed. “If anyone has anything else to say, please feel free.”

“My ghost is telling me it’s time to present the evidence I found in the public bath,” announced Yamada. “Well...it might not have anything to do with the case, but… There was an electronic student handbook on the floor of the sauna.”

“Fujisaki-kun’s handbook was missing,” I remembered. “Could it be his?”

“I’m not sure,” Yamada admitted. “It’s busted. Won’t turn on.”

“It’s strange,” Togami observed. “Monokuma insists that the handbooks don’t break easily, and yet here is another broken one. Kuwata’s and now Fujisaki’s.”

“They’re completely waterproof and highly resistant to shock,” Monokuma said. “They only have one weakness!”

“Someone must have discovered and exploited that weakness,” Kirigiri reasoned. “How else could you explain two of the handbooks getting broken in such rapid succession? So, Monokuma. Tell us what the weakness is.”

“Ooh, you think you can boss me around?”

“It’s essential information for a fair trial,” she pointed out.

“Alright, alright… I guess I have no choice. But nobody had better go breaking any more handbooks on purpose! Their weakness is heat. When exposed to high temperatures, they’ll go into a thermal runaway and break!”

“I thought as much!” Yamada said excitedly. “After all, I did find it on the floor of the sauna!”

“The temperature inside a sauna can reach one hundred degrees celsius, you know,” Monokuma said. “Strange how you don’t get burned sitting in it, right? But it’s because your sweat evaporates and creates a buffer between your skin and the heat! The humidity of your own body protects you. That’s why you should stay very still in the sauna, because moving around can disrupt that barrier!”

“I learned something new today,” Ishimaru said, smiling.

“It’s just useless trivia,” whined Yamada.

“How did the culprit know about the handbooks’ weakness?” Ogami wondered. “Surely it wasn’t an accident that the handbook got destroyed…”

“Perhaps, on some occasion, someone brought a handbook into the sauna and discovered that it broke,” Kirigiri suggested.

“I agree,” I said. “There’s one person I can think of.”

Ishimaru inhaled sharply, a sputtering breath, his eyes suddenly tearful. He shook his head, a tight movement, knuckles white where he gripped the podium.

“Owada-kun,” I said, averting my eyes from Ishimaru. “You went into the sauna fully-dressed during your endurance competition with Ishimaru-kun. Is it possible that… you forgot that your handbook was in your pocket?”

“Wh-Why!” Ishimaru snapped suddenly, his voice shaking with a barely-restrained sob. “Why do you think it’s him! It’s not! It can’t be!”

“Aniki…”

“I won’t accept this!” Ishimaru cried, shouting over Owada’s voice. “I won’t! You have no concrete proof! None! My aniki wouldn’t kill anyone!”

“Owada-kun,” I interrupted. “Would you show me your student handbook? Surely it works just fine, right?”

“Sh-Shut up!” Ishimaru screamed. “Stop it!”

“Aniki, quiet down,” Owada said, his voice soft. Wordlessly, he pulled a handbook out of his pocket and turned it on. _KUWATA LEON_ said the name on the screen. “The broken one in the main hall isn’t Kuwata’s. It’s mine. I swapped them out when I broke mine in the sauna.”

“Aniki, stop it,” Ishimaru begged. “Stop talking! It’s enough! You can’t…No!” Ishimaru rounded on me. “You! Stop it, Naegi-kun! Quit trying to frame my aniki! Your reasoning is decisively wrong! It’s obvious that you’re wrong! Aniki, just tell them all! Tell Naegi-kun that he’s wrong! Defend yourself!”

“I did it,” Owada snarled. “Shut the fuck up already. I did it. I killed Fujisaki.”

Ishimaru froze, his eyes wide, tears streaming down his face.

“N-No…”

“Start the voting,” Owada said. “I give up. I confess. It was me.”

“W-Wait a second…”

“No, Ishimaru-kun, I will not wait a second! What will the results be? The right one? Or a dreadfully wrong one? Lock in your votes!”

I did as instructed, selecting Owada numbly.

“That’s right,” Monokuma chortled. “The blackened who killed Fujisaki Chihiro is none other than Owada Mondo! The votes were not unanimous, however. Ishimaru-kun, really? Voting for yourself? That was a close one, so please pay more attention next time!”

“I w-won’t believe this...my aniki...killing someone…”

“I’m sorry,” Owada said gravely.

“Wh-Why are you apologizing!? That just makes you look guilty, aniki!”

“I _am_ guilty!” Owada slammed a fist against his podium with a loud _crack_. “Damnit, I admit it already!”

“Why...Aniki, why?”

Owada said nothing. 

Monokuma spoke instead: “He seems to have taken a vow of silence, so let me elaborate for you! Today’s murder is the sad story of two young men… Once upon a time, there was a boy named Fujisaki Chihiro. He had an extreme inferiority complex regarding his own lack of strength. _You’re so weak for a boy! You should toughen up and act like a man!_ These were words that he’d heard his entire life. But instead of rising up against it, he cowered, and buried himself further into that weakness. He chose a way to escape the bullies, but it wasn’t violence against those who had wronged him. No, it was a gentler way. A way that involved tucking. His route of escape was to dress as a girl. If everyone thought he was a girl, then they wouldn’t tease him for being girly, after all!

“But it didn’t matter how tightly he wrapped himself in that protective armor… The roots of his inferiority complex remained. It grew stronger and stronger. Every time he pretended to be a girl, he hated himself a little more… And then he found himself in this school life of mutual killing. He came to realize something then: that we live in a world where the strong prey upon the weak. If he didn’t toughen up, he wouldn’t survive…

“And that’s when the extremely charming Monokuma announced the unveiling of everyone’s deepest darkest secrets! _Fujisaki dresses as a girl to avoid being bullied, even though he is a boy._ It was the one secret Fujisaki-kun wasn’t ready to have revealed! If that happened, the armor would fall away, and he’d be even more vulnerable to the bullies. Surely the ridicule would be even worse than before…

“I assumed that when he was faced with this predicament, he would grow a pair and kill someone! But Fujisaki-kun didn’t despair. Instead, he used the threat of his secret being revealed as a catalyst for positive self-improvement! What a let-down, am I right? He found courage, and made a resolution.

“ _This is the time… I won’t let myself be broken by this. I’ll get stronger, and become my true self. I’ll be the boy I’m meant to be… I won’t care anymore if people make fun of me! I can change! I can do it!_ Those were the words he told himself that night. He would retrain his mind and his body and his soul.

“So he asked the manly biker fella for help. And that’s how his first training session turned out to be his last. Owada-kun kept on talking about how a man’s word is his bond, after all, so Fujisaki-kun figured that his honor would force him to keep the secret! Additionally, Owada-kun was the very picture of manliness that Fujisaki-kun wanted for himself!

“That’s what admiration is… Fujisaki-kun resolved to ask Owada-kun to help him become stronger…”

Monokuma paused in his speech as Kirigiri turned to Owada.

“So that’s why you moved Fujisaki-kun’s body from the boys’ locker room to the girls’. It was to keep the promise between men that you made to him, and protect his secret.”

“That’s right…”

“The more I listen, the less I understand,” Ishimaru cried desperately. “You two were friends! He trusted you! Why would you kill him, Owada-kun!? Tell me, please!”

Owada let out a strangled noise and said nothing.

“Let me explain,” Monokuma interjected. “Of course it was the embarrassing secrets and memories!”

“N-No! That’s silly! It’s not a good enough reason…” Ishimaru choked on his words, still crying.

“I said this all before,” Togami said. “Judging things by your own standards is sheer stupidity. Even if you cannot comprehend murdering someone over a secret, he obviously can. You may not have had something worth killing over, but he did. That’s all there is to it.”

“And of course, the secret that Owada-kun didn’t want revealed,” Monokuma said, giggling, “is that he’s responsible for the death of his older brother!”

“Gh--!”

“Owada-kun, who has every gang wrapped around his little finger as the Super High School Level Biker Gang Leader… He inherited that gang from his big brother, you know? Owada Daiya-kun… And Mondo-kun respected his big brother with all his heart! For Mondo-kun, who grew up in a troubled family, the only person he could look up to was his big brother. Following him around, imitating him--the very picture of a doting younger sibling!

“And with all Daiya-kun’s charisma and charm, Japan’s largest biker gang was formed--the Crazy Diamonds! Mondo-kun was Daiya-kun’s number two… But there were whispers among the gang. _A little brother will never be as strong as his older brother… Daiya built this team from the ground up, and Mondo is just along for the ride… He really trusts that little kid as a second leader? Mondo just weakens the gang…_

“These whispered words found their way into Mondo-kun’s ears every day. And so he swore to become stronger than his aniki. He challenged Daiya-kun to a motorcycle race!

“Mondo-kun rode recklessly. He was determined to win. Determined to prove that he was stronger than Daiya-kun. A truck was inbound. Mondo-kun and the truck careened towards each other at breakneck speeds, a suicidal display of bravado. At the last second, Daiya-kun swept in and ran Mondo-kun off the road and out of the truck’s path, saving his little brother’s life! But the resulting crash…

“It was Mondo-kun’s fault, see. He challenged Daiya-kun, and then got stupid during the race. And Daiya-kun sacrificed himself. He died in his younger brother’s arms. And Mondo-kun made a promise to him. He promised that he wouldn’t let anything bad happen to the gang. He’d keep the gang together. It was a promise between men.

“Mondo-kun hid the nature of the accident from the rest of the gang. He knew that if they found out he was responsible for Daiya-kun’s death, they’d be disgusted. The gang would split up. And he couldn’t have that. Mondo-kun was too weak-willed to confess.

“The gang held together, led by the champion who beat his brother, fair and square. Daiya-kun’s cause of death was chalked up to his own foolishness, rather than Mondo-kun’s. And Mondo-kun’s lie became the truth.”

“I couldn’t…let the gang find out,” Owada gritted out. “It would...tear us apart… And then I wouldn’t be able to keep my promise to my aniki…”

“Owada-kun…”

“When Monokuma threatened to expose our secrets,” Owada continued, his voice gravelly and thick with the strain of talking, “my mind got all… fuzzy. Fear chilled me to my bones. It was the first time in my life…that I’d felt such intense fear. I didn’t know what to do… And then Fujisaki asked me to train with him. In the locker room, he…he told me a secret.”

Suddenly, on one of the monitors behind Monokuma’s throne, a scene flickered to life. It was the boys’ locker room. My breath caught in my throat as I saw security footage of Fujisaki and Owada, standing face-to-face.

“I…I want to be a boy.” Fujisaki’s voice crackled out of the speakers, a trembling but sure sound. “I’m sorry I lied to you, but… this… this skirt isn’t who I am.”

“But...why are you telling me this?” Owada’s voice demanded, and though the picture was grainy, I could see frustration on his face.

“Because... I want to change! I want to destroy the weak version of me who hides behind a lie! I _have_ to change! But, you know… You’re so strong, Owada-kun. Whatever secret Monokuma might reveal… There’s no way it could bring you down! You’re the kind of person who’ll be just fine no matter what!” Fujisaki smiled that cute smile, the one that reminded me of a puppy.

Meanwhile, Owada’s face was turned down towards the ground on the video. He said, “Are you saying… you want me to tell you?”

“Huh..?”

“If I’m really strong...I have to do what you did? I have to reveal my secret?” Owada looked up at Fujisaki then, his body tense and poised for a fight, rage across his expression.

“N-No, I didn’t say that…”

Beside me, Owada--the Owada who had just confessed to murder--was saying, “Jealousy...broke me. I was jealous of Fujisaki’s strength. He had the courage to face his fears and insecurities… To try and overcome the problems that plagued him… It’s the kind of strength I’ve never had.”

On-screen, the static-laden vision of Owada said, “Are you making fun of me right now, Fujisaki? I’m strong? Are you fucking with me? You’re being fucking sarcastic?”

“N-No, I’m not being sarcastic, Owada-kun… I really do think you’re strong…” Fujisaki’s hands were clasped tightly together in front of his chest. He was shrinking away from Owada, his bravado fading as Owada got visibly more and more angry.

“Why are you doing this to me,” Owada panted, his teeth bared at Fujisaki. “You gonna trick me into giving my secret away? So you can tell everyone? And laugh about how weak I am? I’m not weak!”

Fujisaki burst into frightened tears as Owada’s voice rose to a shout. Fujisaki put his hands up to his face, as if anticipating a blow, and squeaked, “W-What’s wrong..?”

“You’re fucking mocking me, you piece of shit!”

“N-No! I’m not m-mocking you, Owada-kun! I...I really admire you! I want to be just like you! I admire...your strength..!”

“You’ve got that right,” Owada on-screen said. He had picked up a dumbbell off the rack and was clenching it tight, as if to prove the point to himself. “You’re fucking right I’m strong. I’m stronger than everyone. I’m stronger than my aniki.” He raised the dumbbell and Fujisaki’s eyes widened. Owada cried, “And I’m stronger than _you_!” The screen cut to black as Owada brought the dumbbell down, the monitor shutting off right before the deadly impact.

Owada was trembling, staring at the screen with vacant eyes. “I don’t…I don’t remember anything past when he told me his secret,” he whispered. “All I know is that...I blacked out...and when I woke up he was lying at my feet in a pool of blood…” A gasping sob wracked his body. “I...killed him...I killed Fujisaki Chihiro. He wanted to be like me, but...I could never conquer my own weakness...I did a terrible thing...I can never take it back…”

_Owada-kun always seemed so strong...but weakness lived in a heart like his. And when it came down to it, his blood turned hot and he lashed out...And Monokuma is the one who did this. Who saw that weak spot in his heart and stabbed it viciously…_

“Ahahaha!” Monokuma guffawed. “Take a good look everyone. This is what you all amount to. This is what weakness is. You don’t understand what strength means. How could anyone have thought you were the world’s hope? Ahahaha!”

“S-S-Stop it,” sobbed Ishimaru. “Just stop it…”

“I’ll stop nothing.” The bear grinned wickedly, sharp teeth flashing. “It’s punishment time.”

“W-Wait--No!”

“This time, for Owada Mondo--”

“No, please!” Ishimaru cried. “Please don’t do this! Take me instead! Not him! Not my aniki!”

“--the Super High School Level Biker Gang Leader--”

“I’m begging you! I’m begging you not to take away my best friend!”

“--a very special punishment!”

“ _No!_ ”

Ishimaru’s screams fell on deaf ears as a metal chain descended from the ceiling and wrapped itself around Owada’s throat in a constricting collar. Owada had barely time to let out a pained grunt before he was being dragged backwards, away from the trial ground and to the nearby killing floor. The chains strapped him into a motorcycle, the engine growling to life.

Once Owada was secured to the motorcycle, it took off, speeding around the room before entering a spherical cage. Around and around and around the motorcycle went, decorative paper tigers dancing behind the cage.

I’m not sure how long it took for Owada to die. I tried to tune it out as much as I could. I focused on the garish carnival music that played over the execution instead of the hysterical crying of Ishimaru, or the guttural shouting of Owada. Eventually, the motorcycle crashed to the floor of the cage. I caught no more than a glimpse of the body, which had been stripped by the force of the motorcycle ride, reduced to a messy puddle of gore. The music stopped. I vomited.

“O, death,” Monokuma recited, his voice full of poetry. “What a soothing sorrow… May his soul rest in peace…”

I felt it again. The agony of this school. _How cheap are our lives here?_

“This game’s curtain call has come far too quickly.” Togami’s voice cut clearly through Ishimaru’s continued crying.

“...Huh?” I said, too emotionally exhausted to try and process his words.

Asahina had no such trouble. “You’re insane,” she spat. “You keep calling this a game, as if people aren’t dying!”

“I don’t want to know what goes on inside your head, Togami-kun,” Kirigiri began hesitantly, “but I feel that I must ask. Why did you do what you did? What happened with Fujisaki-kun’s body?”

“Isn’t that obvious?” He rolled his eyes. “It made things more interesting.”

“More...interesting…”

“When Fukawa came to me and told me her secret, I decided to brush up on my knowledge of the Genocider Syo homicides. I went to the archive room at the library and reread the casefile. It started to get late, so I was about to leave. As I exited the library, I saw Owada leaving the girls’ locker room. When he was gone, I entered and found the body. I was terribly disappointed. I already knew who the killer was, and that was no fun at all. So I decided to spice things up and make it more challenging. It would also have the benefit of exposing the dangerous predator lurking in our midst--the identity of Genocider Syo. Eventually, if the truth didn’t come out, I would reveal it. He didn’t even know I saw him, the simpleton. But luckily…” He fixed his icy blue eyes on me. “It didn’t come to that. You did quite well, Naegi. You are truly superior to the others. So now I know who to watch out for when I commit a murder of my own.”

“Wh--!”

“I see,” Kirigiri said. “So you wanted to know who posed the biggest threat.”

“And it’s Naegi, of course. He’s a formidable opponent.”

“Now I have a question for Monokuma.” Kirigiri turned to glare at the bear. “About these exceedingly extravagant executions...How are you doing this? And why?”

“The why is simple enough,” he chuckled. “These punishments are your despair! Not only your despair, but the despair of all humanity!”

“What is your meaning?” Ogami inquired.

“Meaning? Meaning meaning meaning? There’s no meaning in searching for meaning! I’ll say no more!”

“It doesn’t matter either way,” Togami sighed. “I will have all the answers eventually. As soon as I win this game.”

“Ooh, Mr Heir!” Monokuma sang. “You really understand me, don’t you? We’re the same!”

“I am not a childish criminal like you,” Togami argued. “And let me warn you: you’re next. After I win this game, you will become my target, and I will kill you. The name of Togami is always fated for victory.”

“Ooh, how cool! Someone thinks he’s the protagonist!”

And so the second case came to a close with Togami’s declaration.

As I returned to my dorm room and my bed, the full weight of the tragedy I had just witnessed came crashing down on me. I collapsed to my floor, my head in my hands, my body shaking with sobs.

_Fujisaki-san… We were friends…_

I curled into the fetal position, finally allowing myself to feel the loss--and I felt it acutely. _The trial is done… I’m no longer in immediate danger… I can afford to take this moment now._ And so I let the grief consume me for the night.

But our school life of mutual killing was not over. There was still so much despair ahead.

絶望

“You know, despite it all, we’re keeping a good pace. We have Maizono-san to thank for that. She got the ball rolling, and now it’s unstoppable. We can push ahead with our despair. But it’s a real shame that I never got to utilize you the way I expected. You know, you were supposed to commit the first murder, and you disappointed me. What’s the point of having a spy on the inside if you’re not going to do your job? ...Oh, well. You still have things you can do. Just keep things exciting, you know?”

Monokuma played idly with a Chinese finger-trap, his red eye resting on the person who stood before him--the traitor within the class.

“I have one question to ask you,” the traitor said.

“By all means…”

“I want to know the truth about...that person… The sixteenth student. Who is the sixteenth student?”

“Oh-ho! You’ve surprised me! But alas… I refuse to answer. I ultra-super-duper refuse! After all, the sixteenth student is the ace up my sleeve…”

PARTICIPANTS REMAINING: 10


	6. Chapter 3: New Century Galactic Legend! Stand Tall, Armored Hero! (Normal Days)

My chest ached as I sat down to breakfast.  _ Just yesterday, we lost two more classmates. Owada-kun...and Fujisaki-san… _ An oppressive atmosphere weighed upon us all.

“Small turnout today, eh?” Hagakure said, his voice softer than usual. “Fukawa-chi and Togami-chi are absent as always, but…”

“Asahina Aoi-dono is also nowhere to be found.”

“Asahina has a stomach ache,” Ogami supplied. “She is resting in her room.”

“How peculiar,” Celes said. “She is ordinarily the picture of health.”

“No need to worry. Asahina is strong.”

“It’s just the eight of us right now,” said Kirigiri.

_ Myself, Kirigiri, Hagakure, Yamada, Celes, Ogami, Asahina, and Ishimaru. _

“Call it seven and a half,” Hagakure replied, shrugging. “I think our chairman isn’t feeling himself, eh?”

Indeed, Ishimaru stared blankly at the table, no food in front of him. He didn’t stir at the mention of his title. The skin beneath his eyes was puffy and purple with lack of sleep.  _ He hasn’t spoken a word since last night… _

“He surely seems lifeless,” Celes observed. “That’s no good. We should live here happily. Forget the outside world and embrace life in this place. That is our only hope. We aren’t lacking in food or supplies, and we’re free to do as we please. I am not sure I understand why you are all so dissatisfied.”

“ _ Heretic Angel ☆ Mochi Mochi Princess _ ,” breathed Yamada.

Celes blinked slowly. “...I beg your pardon?”

“Drill-Master Meg-chan, Bunny-Girl Amazoness, Catgirl Dogboy, Galaxy King Robo Justice… There isn’t any 2D in here!” he whined.

“Anyway,” Hagakure interrupted. “Since Ishimaru-chi isn’t saying anything, I’ll take over as leader from now on. I  _ am _ the oldest, after all, eh? My first order as leader is that we should all go exploring.”

“After a trial, more places in the school open up,” Ogami recalled. “After breakfast, we should split up.”

“I am sure a fine discovery is awaiting us. One that will make life here even more comfortable,” Celes said cheerily. She smiled, folding her hands gently under her chin.

Suddenly, the cafeteria door opened with a bang, and a speedy and graceless form catapulted into the room.

“You summoned me, so here I am!” crowed Genocider Syo.

“We didn’t summon you! We didn’t summon you!” Yamada said quickly.

“Um…Where’s Fukawa-chi, eh?”

“This school has such a wonderful atmosphere,” Syo sang. “A truly expert villain made this place the way it is! So I’ve decided to spread my wings and fly free!”

And that was how we shared our breakfast with a serial killer. After we finished our troubling meal, we split up to explore.

I double-checked just to be sure, but as expected, the stairs from the first floor of the dormitory were still blocked off.  _ I suppose there’s no need for us to access the second floor of the dorms. Besides, there’s plenty of room to explore in the school area. _

On my way into the school to find the stairs up, I noticed that a previously-barricaded door was now unblocked. It was a set of pink double doors with heart-shaped windows, marked INFIRMARY. Stepping inside, I noted that it was quite modern, with lots of shiny chrome and infographics. There was only one thing that really stood out to me, though.  _ Is that a refrigerator? _ Stepping closer, I opened the mini refrigerator, and then tilted my head in surprise. Inside were numerous bags of blood, labelled with type. I shut the door again, mulling it over as I headed towards the stairs.  _ None of us really have the medical know-how to perform a blood transfusion if that becomes necessary...Well, I guess I don’t know for sure. My classmates have surprised me before. _

As I reached the second floor of the school, I found Hagakure waiting there. He said, “Check it out, Naegi-chi. Nothing changed on this floor, but the stairs to the third floor are unblocked now. Let’s go, eh? There’s gotta be tons of new stuff to see…”

I followed him up, and we found ourselves in a hallway dimly lit with purple lights. A flight of stairs up to the fourth floor was unsurprisingly barricaded.

The classrooms were the first things I inspected, and they were just as empty as all the previous had been.  _ I’M BORED _ , read the chalkboard in one of them, and in another,  _ MONOKUMA-SENSEI’S DESPAIR SQUAD _ .

Leaving the classrooms behind, I found a door with a pane of light-blue glass. I peered through the little window, spotting a billiards table, and opened the door.

“Hello, Celes-san.”

“Naegi-kun,” she replied politely. “This appears to be a recreation room. There’s Othello and Shogi boards, as well as a dartboard and a billiards table… And a rack full of magazines.”

Popping up out of nowhere, Monokuma elaborated: “We have a fantastic supply here! Fashion, motorcycles, wrestling, video games, baseball, soccer, computers… Magazines of any kind! Oh, but you won’t find erotic magazines here. This is a school, after all.”

“Are you going to update the supply as new magazines are published?” inquired Celes.

“Oh, that’s impossible.” He waved his paws dismissively. “I would if I could, but the magazine industry is kinda kaput.”

“...Huh? No, it isn’t,” I said.

“Oops! Didn’t mean to say that.” Monokuma chuckled in a self-deprecating manner. “Forget I said anything! You’ll just have to live with what’s already there. Bye-bye now!”

“How mysterious,” Celes noted.

I gave the room a once-over, but none of the games really interested me, and I didn’t have any interest in reading the apparently discontinued manga from the magazine shelf. There was a tall standing locker in one corner of the room, but it was empty. A row of decorative glass bottles with tiny Monokuma figurines in them made me frown; I moved on, leaving Celes to examine the billiard table.

Next was an art room, decorated with numerous sculptures, paintings, and photographs. Yamada stood in the center of it, looking quite pleased.

“What a fine establishment!” he said. “My art bone is tickling!”

“Well, that’s good...I think,” I said, and stepped around him to approach the wall.

The paintings and drawings were cute, and quite a lot of them were drawn in Yamada’s easily recognizable style.  _ Did he make these? Maybe the mastermind found prints of his work and put them up to taunt him… _

Even more interesting than the drawings were the photographs. They held pictures of many unfamiliar people. In one, a tiny girl with pigtails glared at a nervous-looking girl, while a third with numerous piercings beamed at the camera. In another, a girl with a Galaga hair pin was fast asleep on her desk. Yet another featured a very buff bearded guy in the pool, splashing a pink-haired kid with an affectionately-annoyed expression on his face.

There were dozens of these pictures, all of them featuring people in brown Hope’s Peak Academy school uniforms, and all of them appeared to have been taken somewhere in the school. There were a few spots missing among the photos, as if there had once been more, but they’d been taken down.

One of the photos caught my eye, and I did a double take.

“What..?” I said out loud, moving closer and squinting at it to be sure of what I was seeing.

In the photo, a smiling Owada had an equally-cheerful Kuwata in a friendly headlock, and Fujisaki laughed brightly. They wore those same Hope’s Peak Academy uniforms, and sat in a classroom I recognized from the first floor--though in the background of the picture, the windows were uncovered, and sunlight streamed through them.

Before I could fully process what I was looking at, a clawed hand snagged the photo and tore it off the wall. Monokuma quickly hid the picture behind his back, staring angrily at me, as if I’d done something wrong.

“Don’t look at that picture! It’s not supposed to be there!” he said, and then winked. “Oops! I sure did leave this one there by accident. What wonderful smiles they wore, though, right? Such a fun school life! One of the cornerstones of youth, isn’t it?”

Before I could even open my mouth to ask a question, he was gone, and I stood there dumbfounded.  _ Who took that picture? When was it taken? Those three never mentioned anything like that… _

In something of a daze, I glanced over the photos on the wall one more time before heading to an adjoining room at the back of the art lab. Inside was a supply room, with a few sculpting mallets, a dolley, and numerous blank canvases.  _ Nothing interesting here… _

I bid Yamada goodbye-for-now, and headed to the next area of the third floor. Along the way, Kirigiri fell into stride with me, and I greeted her with a nod. She nodded back, looking at me out of the corner of her eye and saying nothing. Together, we entered a room marked PHYSICS LAB.

Inside was a huge machine, all stainless steel and whirring parts. Dials and knobs and lights were scattered along its massive side.

“What the heck is that thing?” I wondered.

“It’s certainly strange,” Kirigiri murmured.

Ishimaru was standing silently before it, staring up in awe.

“Ishimaru-kun,” I said gently. “It’s pretty neat, isn’t it? It’s like a real lab from a research facility or something, don’t you agree?”

Ishimaru made no reply.

I sighed, stepping carefully past him and closer to the machine, but--

“Danger!” squawked Monokuma, and I took a startled step backwards. “Don’t get too close! You wouldn’t want to accidentally leap through time, would you?”

“Leap through time?” I repeated quizzically.

“It’s a time machine! Isn’t it amazing? It was developed by a student here at Hope’s Peak Academy, before the school’s despair-inducing demise.”

I started to ask what he was referring to, but a hoarse voice stopped me, quiet but audible. It was Ishimaru. “A time machine..? We can really...return to the past?” His tired eyes had gone wide and desperate. “Let’s use it! We can go back to when Owada-kun--when he--we can stop him from--”

“Oh, whoops, I was fibbing,” Monokuma interrupted. “There’s no such thing as time machines. This is an air purifying machine that keeps the air in the school breathable. Don’t break it!” As Monokuma danced away, Ishimaru’s face had fallen again.

“A fib…” he echoed. “Oh…”

_ That was a cruel trick to pull, giving him hope like that… Monokuma is really doing everything he can to push people who are already hurting into a corner. How evil. _

I walked away from Ishimaru, who stared despondently at the purification machine, deciding he probably needed some space. And anyway, something else had caught my eye: something made of bright pink plastic sitting on a lab table.

_ It has a weird anime design on it, but it’s definitely a digital camera. This could be useful… I’ll show it to everyone later. _

I pocketed the camera carefully, noting the way that Kirigiri watched me.

Shaking off her intense gaze, I strode towards the back of the room, where yet another door led into yet another back room. Inside was a file cabinet full of old files, several folded tarpaulin sheets, and lots of experimental tools. There was nothing much else, and nothing stood out to me.

Having explored everything on the third floor, I returned to the cafeteria, Kirigiri trailing behind me.

“Oh! Hi, Asahina-san,” I said, finding her alone in the dining hall, as the rest of the class poured in behind me.

“Weren’t you feeling sick?” Hagakure asked.

“Are you feeling well now?” Ogami pressed.

Looking uncomfortable with the sudden attention, Asahina said, “Er, yeah. I had a donut for breakfast and that made me feel better.”

“Didn’t you have a stomach ache?” Celes pointed out.

“Well, yeah, but… I mean, maybe my memory is a little jumbled. Haha.”

“It’s said that goldfish do not take into consideration the state of their own stomachs, and will continue to eat as much as is put in front of them,” Yamada noted. “You act just the same, Asahina Aoi-dono.”

“You’re the last person I want to hear that from!” she complained.

“I was worried about you, Asahina,” Ogami said, halting the back-and-forth in its tracks.

“I’m...sorry…” she replied, looking down at her sneakers.

“Hey, you,” laughed Genocider Syo, pointing with a pair of scissors in her hand. “Why are your tits so huge?”

“Step away from Asahina, you cretin,” commanded Ogami, moving to stand protectively in front of her friend.

“Even a thousand-mile journey on the Otome Road in Ikebukuro begins with a single step… There are many obstacles on the way to becoming a veteran!” Syo gave her signature cackle.

“A-Anyway,” Hagakure hedged. “Let’s go over what we’ve learned, eh? Don’t you agree, Ishimaru-chi?” Ishimaru didn’t reply, so Hagakure said, “Well… I guess I’ll start. I ran into Togami-chi earlier--”

“Where is he?!” Syo demanded suddenly. “Spill it, or I’ll spill your blood!”

Hurriedly, Hagakure cried, “H-He was carrying a large number of books from the library, and h-he went to the pool to read them--”

“So that’s where he’s hiding! I won’t let him escape! Kyahaha!” Genocider Syo took off, and Hagakure flinched at her flailing limbs as she left.

“Are they going to be okay?” I wondered aloud.

“It’s best just to leave them alone, I think,” Celes said. “Anyway. Who else has information to share?”

“I checked all the iron plates covering the windows,” Ogami informed us. “None budged.”

“I wish he’d give us a break, eh?” Hagakure whined, crossing his arms. “I miss my blue skies and sun!”

“We should forget about those things,” warned Celes.

“I found an art room.” Yamada grinned proudly as he spoke. “With the supplies in there, I can draw all the anime I want!”

“Ah, that’s right!” I said, remembering. “Speaking of anime, I found this…” I pulled the pink plastic camera out of my pocket, holding it up. “I haven’t checked to see if it turns on yet…” Pressing the power button experimentally, I discovered to my delight that the camera was functional. “Hey, look at that!”

“Can I see it?”

At his request, I passed the camera to Hagakure, who examined it carefully for a moment and then deflated.

“Aw, it’s just a cheap toy. It can’t hold more than five pictures in its memory, and there isn’t even a self-timer.”

“A cheap toy!” Yamada said indignantly. “It’s wonderful! Look at the character on the side--that’s Princess Boo-ko from  _ Heretic Angel☆ Mochi Mochi Princess _ ! This camera is a super-rare item… It was the first place prize in a bingo contest they had at the event where the anime adaptation was announced! I paid a very high price to the winner of that contest to get my hands on this treasure… That’s  _ my _ camera!”

“I found it in the physics lab,” I let him know, and Hagakure handed it to him.

“I don’t want it anymore,” Yamada announced.

“What? Why not? Didn’t you just say it’s a treasure?”

“It’s not in mint condition anymore,” he said sadly. “See, it’s all scratched up, and there’s a collector’s sticker on it… I don’t know when this happened, but it’s no use to me now.”

“In that case, I will be happy to take it from you,” Celes said, holding out a hand expectantly, and Yamada deposited the camera in her palm. “If anyone else wants to use it, let me know.”

“There’s not much use for a camera in this place, I think,” Asahina said.

“Speaking of photos, though,” I began. “I found something odd in the art room. Monokuma took it away, but...there was this weird picture.”

“It wasn’t erotic, was it?” Asahina asked, looking scandalized.

“What? No, no. It had Owada-kun, Kuwata-kun, and Fujisaki-kun in it all together. They seemed...happy.”

“They never mentioned knowing each other before coming here,” Celes reminded us.

“I think it was taken here. It looked like they were wearing Hope’s Peak uniforms, and the classroom was familiar...though the window was unblocked.”

“It must have been an illusion. Perhaps Monokuma placed a curse on you?” suggested Yamada.

“Maybe they’re alive!” Hagakure gasped.

“That’s...not possible,” Kirigiri disagreed, shaking her head. “We all saw their deaths with our own eyes.”

“It’s likely a faked photograph,” Celes said idly, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. “Monokuma fabricated it using photoshop software. I can think of no other explanation. Unless they lied about knowing each other..? But we should not waste our time wondering about it. Rather, we should think about the lies we _ know _ have been told.”

“What lies are you talking about, Celes-san?” I asked.

“Asahina-san,” Celes replied. “She lied about having a stomach ache, I do believe. She has a tell, you know. Most people do. That’s why one can never truly hide the things they want to hide… Asahina-san, did you know that the tip of your nose turns pink when you lie?”

“What? Really?!”

“No, that was a lie.” Celes smiled. “But your panic confirms my suspicion about the lie you told earlier.”

_ It sure is accurate when people call Celes-san the Queen of Liars _ , I thought to myself.

“I...I’m sorry I lied,” Asahina said hesitantly. “But, I thought that...nobody would believe me if I said why I was afraid.”

“You were in your room because you were afraid?” I asked.

She nodded. “Of the ghost.”

Everyone went quiet. Slowly, I said, “Asahina-san...I don’t think there’s such a thing as ghosts.”

“I knew you wouldn’t believe me!” she cried.

“That’s not--”

“I believe you,” Ogami said immediately. “I do not care what the others think, Asahina. I will always believe what you say. So please…tell us what happened?”

“If you say so, Sakura-chan…” She took a deep breath. “Last night, I couldn’t sleep… I had a lot on my mind, you know. So I decided to go for a walk…”

“You broke our night time rule,” tutted Celes.

“Sorry. I’ll try not to do it again. Anyway, I was walking, and...I heard a voice coming from the public bath. I...went in to check, and… I saw something really strange. One of the lockers was closed and locked, but it was glowing. I could see something glowing green in the gaps! And then...the voice said something. It was calling out to someone. But the voice...it definitely belonged to Fujisaki-chan!”

“Kyaaa!” screamed Yamada.

“A ghost!” Hagakure shrieked, covering his eyes with his hands in fright.

“You are mistaken,” Celes said. “You simply must be. There is no such thing as ghosts.”

“We should check,” I said. “Maybe… Maybe Asahina-san was right?” Ogami gave me an approving nod. I fished in my pocket, remembering something suddenly, and withdrew a small bronze key. “I found this key in Fujisaki-kun’s room! Maybe it goes to the closed locker.”

“Checking is a waste of time, I am sure,” Celes sighed, but followed us nonetheless as Asahina, Ogami, and I led the charge to the public bath. Ishimaru stayed behind, not moving from his seat at the table.

“W-We’re gonna get cursed,” whimpered Hagakure.

As we entered the changing room, Yamada muttered, “I feel bad vibrations. Ekoekoeko…”

“Stop! Stop summoning Lucifer!” Hagakure begged.

“Asahina, where did you see Fujisaki’s ghost?” Ogami inquired.

“Right there,” she replied, pointing at a closed locker. “There was a sort of halo of green light coming from it, and Fujisaki-chan’s voice…”

“Got it,” I said, stepping closer. “Let’s see…” The locker was locked, but when I inserted the bronze key into it, it fit, and the locker squeaked open. “Oh!”

Inside the locker was the broken laptop that Fujisaki had repaired, sitting there in sleep mode. I touched the trackpad and the screen lit up green.

“The computer from the library. I wondered if Fujisaki-kun might have taken it,” muttered Kirigiri.

“Fujisaki was a genius. It appears she fixed the laptop…” Ogami said, clearly impressed.

“Asahina-san, surely you did not mistake the glow of the laptop for a ghost? I am stunned that you are able to dress yourself in the mornings,” Celes said, and Asahina scowled, blushing.

“That’s alright, Asahina-chi. I once mistook some tadpoles for a grey alien.”

“Fujisaki-kun certainly was clever,” Kirigiri continued. “He chose this spot for the laptop because it’s the only place in the school we’ve discovered so far that doesn’t have any surveillance cameras.”

“So she wanted to hide the computer from the mastermind,” Yamada exclaimed.

“I believe so, yes. Let’s investigate it.”

I leaned in close to the laptop at Kirigiri’s instruction, peering at the screen. There were a few file folders, but there was one application on the desktop that really caught my eye. I remembered the conversation Fujisaki and I had had about AI programs, and the concept of full ego awareness.

“Alter Ego,” I murmured, reading the application name out loud as I clicked on it.

“Alter Ego. That means another self,” Celes supplied.

“Naegi-kun, do you mind?” Kirigiri asked, and I moved out of the way so she could place her gloved hands over the keyboard.

The program booted up, and suddenly, Fujisaki’s smiling face was looking out at us from a grainy application window. His eyes were bright and wide, joy in his expression.

“Welcome back, Master!” he exclaimed, and then paused. A flicker of confusion crossed over him.

“Argh!” shouted Hagakure. “It’s here!”

“Calm down. It’s not a ghost,” Kirigiri said, rolling her eyes.

Her hands flew over the keys as she typed,  _ Who are you? _

“Nice to meet you,” the program said. “I’m Fujisaki Chihiro. Hehe… Self-introductions are always a little embarrassing, aren’t they?”

“That voice,” I whispered. “It really sounds like Fujisaki-kun!”

“Alter Ego is the program that made Fujisaki-kun famous,” Kirigiri said. “It’s what earned him the title of Super High School Level Programmer. It’s an artificial intelligence program. It uses support vector machines and reinforced learning as its base, customized with a hand-crafted rule system that he designed himself.”

“So this is a program for dumb users who can’t just Google stuff?” Yamada quipped.

“Perhaps if he had had more time to work on this,” Kirigiri continued, “he could’ve someday developed it into a strong AI.”

“An AI with full ego awareness,” I said, and Kirigiri glanced at me.

“Yes.”

“So this program is much like a real person,” Celes said. “It has a memory, and it learns from its experiences. Alter Ego is a fitting name.”

“She programmed it to call her  _ Master _ ,” Yamada noted. “That’s quite a turn-on.”

“Yamada-chi, aren’t you only into 2D?”

“This is the most excellent 2D possible!”

“Let’s try talking to it more,” Kirigiri said, and if she felt exasperated by Yamada, she didn’t show it. She typed,  _ How much do you know of our current situation? _

“My Master explained the general situation to me,” Alter Ego said. “We’ve found ourselves in a dangerous place…”

_ Why are you here? _ Kirigiri asked.

“My Master has instructed me to analyze the huge number of files that he found on this computer’s hard disk. There are many documents about Hope’s Peak Private Academy, but they are all under heavy encryption. It will take a while to break. I can do it, though. Leave it to me.”

_ What is your progress on decrypting the files? _

“It will take a while to break,” the program repeated. “I can do it, though. Leave it to me.”

“How splendid. Fujisaki-kun left this so that it could continue to do its job even in the event of his death,” Celes said.

Kirigiri typed,  _ Please continue your work. Be careful not to attract the attention of the mastermind. _

“I’ll be fine. If you’d like, I can enable my security countermeasure. I can switch on the webcam and monitor the environment. If anyone suspicious turns up, I can shout ‘HELP ME’ very loudly.”

“That’s kind of primitive,” I noted.

“It will work during the day,” Celes said, “but at night we may have a problem. All the rooms are sound-proof, so we will not hear if he yells.”

“We could take turns guarding the locker room,” I suggested.

“That would definitely draw suspicion,” Kirigiri disagreed. “I will leave the door to my room open during night time. My room is close to the bath, so I should be able to hear him.” She glanced around at us. “I’ll be leaving myself vulnerable to attack. But if anyone tries to kill me...Well. I can assure you that it will not be as easy as one might think. I do not intend to go down without a fight.” Resolution on her face, she typed,  _ Enable the security measure. Shout if someone suspicious turns up. _

Kirigiri’s words reminded me of Togami, full of conviction. But at the same time, there was something decisively different about Kirigiri’s attitude. It was like...one of them had been dropped onto a battlefield, and the other had been born onto it. That sort of fundamental difference.

“May I please ask a question?” Alter Ego said, pulling me out of my thoughts. When Kirigiri typed back a quick  _ Yes _ , it asked, “Where is my Master? I do not see him among you.”

For a second, Kirigiri paused to think. Then, she messaged him back, brief and clear:  _ Fujisaki Chihiro is dead. He was killed by Owada Mondo. _

The image of Fujisaki’s face on-screen turned down. “Oh...I see. I knew that was a possibility… Master’s chances of survival in a place like this seemed exceptionally low…”

“It must feel awful to lose your other self,” Asahina said quietly.

“It doesn’t  _ feel _ anything,” Celes argued. “It is a computer program.”

“Is that really so..?” Yamada asked.

“In any case, we should leave before the mastermind notices that we’ve all congregated in here,” Kirigiri said. She typed quickly to Alter Ego:  _ We will be back. _

“Please visit often!” Alter Ego cheered, face quickly returning to a happy smile. “Bye-bye!”

Kirigiri shut the locker, but did not lock it. “I’ll hold onto this key, but leave the locker open in case something happens to me.”

“You know,” Hagakure began, “if we connected the laptop to the internet, we could contact the outside world for help, eh?”

“There’s no outlets in this room,” Kirigiri pointed out. “The risk is too great. For now, we should just let it proceed with decrypting the computer’s files.”

“I’m definitely going to come back and visit her,” Yamada said.

“Let’s head back to the cafeteria for now.” Following me, everyone headed out of the locker room.

Excitedly, Asahina said, “What a great discovery! I’m glad I made it.”

“Glad you made what?” Monokuma asked suddenly, appearing from somewhere down the hall.

“Gah! Don’t sneak up like that!”

“You bastards sure are in good spirits,” he commented. “Did something good happen?”

“Go away, go away, go away,” chanted Yamada.

“We just wanted to relax in the bath,” Celes said, silencing him. “We found that the bath is not divided into a girls’ and boys’ area however, so we had a rock-paper-scissors contest to determine which group would use the bath first. Asahina-san won on behalf of the girls. That is why she is excited.”

“Yeah! Which means the guys need to get out of here,” Asahina commanded.

“Yeah, we got it, sheesh,” Hagakure griped, and our group of boys began to disperse.

Celes’ poker-face was as inscrutable as ever as the girls re-entered the bath.

“Damn,” Yamada said dramatically. “I wanted to go first! I wish we’d won rock-paper-scissors.”

“We’ll win tomorrow,” Hagakure said.

Seeming satisfied, Monokuma vanished, and we went our separate ways.

絶望

After the girls took their bath many of us reconvened in the dining hall, but before any friendly words could be exchanged, Monokuma showed up to put a damper on our mood.

“What are you all just milling about for?! There’s important business to attend to, you know!” he squealed.

“I expected as much,” Ogami said gravely.

“We discussed it during our bath,” Celes said. “It’s about time for you to begin scheming again.”

“Someone like  _ you _ can’t stand to leave us alone and let us have fun,” Kirigiri agreed, pointing at Monokuma.

“Wh--Someone like  _ me _ ? Are you mocking me? That’s so rude! And to think I was coming to deliver a present for you all…” Monokuma played at being dejected for a moment before perking up. “Anyway! Everyone gather in the gymnasium! Big news!” With that, he vanished.

“What’s he gonna do now?” Yamada whined.

“He has another motive for us,” Kirigiri said.

“I don’t wanna go,” Hagakure complained. “I’m already completely traumatized.”

“It’s okay,” Kirigiri soothed him. “We have Alter Ego now. I’m sure it’ll find a way to help us. So for now, let’s just endure whatever’s coming.”

By the time we all arrived in the gymnasium, someone had beat us there.

“I can’t believe I was kept waiting by the likes of you,” snapped Togami, his face livid. “If I had a gun, I’d go on a rampage. Are you late because you forgot how to walk? You need to alternate your left and right legs. It’s  _ simple _ .”

“Togami-kun is the same as always, I see,” Celes said breezily. “And Fukawa-san seems just as gloomy.”

Sputtering, Fukawa replied, “G-G-Gloomy?! Don’t c-call me gloomy! I wish you’d all get trapped under a Mikoshi and die!”

“How come her stutter only goes away when she’s insulting people?” Asahina mused, and I saw Ogami’s eye twitch with humor.

“Good, good, you bastards are all here,” cheered Monokuma. “Now, I’m changing my strategy! Previously, I pushed you into a corner, hitting you with the cold harsh north wind… but from time to time, it’s good to let you feel the warmth of the sun! Ah-hahaha! So, to keep things short, here’s your motive this time…” He pulled something from beneath his podium on the stage then and laid it out for us to see, and a few gasps rang out.

“That’s… more money than I think I’ve ever seen in my life,” I said, slack-jawed. Stacks upon stacks of paper bills, bound into convenient little bricks, formed a sizable wall on the stage as Monokuma presented them with a flourish.

“Ten billion yen!” he crowed. “In other terms, 79 million euro! Seven trillion rupees! 306 million shekels! 96 million US dollars! It’s my present to any student who graduates! Is that enough motivation for you? You can’t wait to get to work, can you?!”

“A figure like ten billion yen,” I said. “That’s…”

“Far too little,” Togami scoffed.

“Maybe for you, eh,” Hagakure replied, and his eyes were wide as saucers. “I could repay my debt to Kuzuryuu Natsumi!”

“Kuzuryuu..?” I echoed. “That’s the name of a crime syndicate. You have a debt to a member of the yakuza?”

“Are you offering to help me pay it back? I’d just need a kidney or two from you,” Hagakure begged me.

“Ah--no, definitely not.”

“As far as motives for murder go,” Kirigiri interrupted, “money is fairly standard.”

“After all we’ve been through together, there’s no way someone would kill a friend just for the sake of money,” Asahina said.

“A human being’s life cannot be bought for any price,” Ogami agreed.

“Did you already forget what I told you?” Togami asked. “You can’t predict the actions of others based on your own values.”

“My lifestyle lacks for nothing,” Celes hummed. “My gambling can easily net me ten billion yen.”

“I’m a best-selling doujin-maker,” Yamada said, nodding. “This motive isn’t even a little tempting!”

“Yeah, right,” sneered Fukawa. “I b-b-bet you’re s-swimming in debt!”

“Enough,” Ogami commanded, and the squabbling ceased immediately. “Suspecting others over something as trivial as money is an ugly thing to do.”

“U-U-Ugly!?” hissed Fukawa, surely taking Ogami’s words as a personal slight.

Monokuma dismissed us quickly, and with that, we all disbanded, stealing furtive glances at the enormous mountain of cash as we left.

Soon, I found myself alone in the hallway with Ogami, and something caught my eye that I hadn’t noticed before. In her long thick hair was the kitten hair clip I’d given her, pinned neatly near the crown of her head. I smiled as I saw it, a feeling of joy and friendship washing over me.

“Ogami-san,” I said, by way of greeting.

“Naegi. I suppose it’s time,” she intoned, her voice ominous and heavy.

“It’s...time..?”

“You wish to know the story of the only man in the world who is stronger than I am. Correct?”

“Ah, yeah!” I remembered. “I  _ do _ want to know, but… I don’t want you to feel obligated to tell me if you don’t want to.”

“It’s alright. Come.”

Feeling a little like a duckling following its mother, I tailed after her, jogging lightly to keep up with her long loping strides. I hesitated for only a moment before following her into her dorm room.  _ Hanging out alone with a girl in her room makes me kind of nervous… _ Ogami’s bedroom was full of heavy-duty exercise equipment, and the reminder of her sheer physical prowess made me even more nervous, though for a different reason. At her gesture of invitation, I took a seat in the chair by her desk, while she sat on the edge of her bed.

“I haven’t told many people about this, but… I believe that I can tell you, Naegi. You… You’re a friendly person. And you seem trustworthy.” She gave me a small smile, which I joyfully returned.

“So, there’s really someone out there who’s stronger than you?”

Nodding, she said, “The truth is that I have a lifelong rival. He fights only in underground tournaments, and he is unbeaten. I have faced him time and time again, but never won. He is truly the strongest man alive.

“These days, fighting has become its own science, in a way. It’s been studied, it evolved, and its been established as a formal sport. The idea of being invincible has disappeared. Whoever develops the best technique becomes the best. But even in this modern era, he never used the scientific approach. His only teacher has been real combat.

“He laughs in the face of other sports. Nobody can come close to him.

“Martial arts requires some amount of luck. A lucky punch, a missed step, even the tiniest of blunders can decide who wins and who loses. But none of that matters to him. There is no strategy that can beat him. Many have studied him. All have lost.”

Stunned for a moment, I breathed, “Wow. Is this guy even human?”

“His name is Kenshiro. My lifelong rival. My first love.”

I blinked in surprise. “Your… first love..?”

“Are you laughing at me,” she deadpanned, and her gaze was a death-glare.

“N-No, not at all! I would never laugh at someone who chose to share a personal story with me.”

She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, steadying herself. “I apologize. I suppose I’m a tad sensitive about this subject. The idea of a girl like me using the word  _ love _ … It’s strange, isn’t it? Some might even find it creepy...”

“You’re allowed to have a feminine side, Ogami-san, no matter what other people might expect of you,” I said, and I watched as she touched the kitten hair clip gently, with just a fingertip. “You don’t have to be  _ manly _ to be the strongest warrior on the planet.”

“Kenshiro once told me something very similar,” she mused. “He said that my true nature is in fact very feminine… I shall carry the memory of his words with me all my life.”

_ Carry the memory..? It sounds like she’s saying he’s dead… _

“Ogami-san,” I began hesitantly, “where is Kenshiro-san now?”

“He is fighting a disease.” Her expression was grim, mouth set in a hard slant of displeasure. “He said he had six months to live, yet six months have passed and still he fights. This is his way… I went to visit him in the hospital once. He was… thin… and pale… He said, ‘Just for awhile, I entrust the title of  _ the world’s strongest person _ to you.’ He asked that I not lose to anyone until he can regain his health and reclaim his title. He needn’t have asked. I will keep the title safe, and then one day, when he has overcome his sickness and has fully recovered his strength--we will fight.” She paused, and then said something that stunned me a little bit. “I’m sorry to burden you with this long story, but… I suppose I feel that you are like Kenshiro, in a way. You possess a similar strength of will. True strength.”

“True strength? Me?”

“No need to be modest, Naegi. I know strength when I see it.”

She smiled kindly at me, and as I left her room, her words seemed to melt and seep into my bones, giving me warmth and pride.

There was a little time left in the day, so I wandered down the hall until I came across Kirigiri in the cafeteria, sitting across the table and down a ways from Ishimaru, who continued to stare blankly at his own hands, unmoving.

“Kirigiri-san,” I said, finding a seat near her where I could keep an eye on catatonic Ishimaru.

“Are you here to make another attempt at friendship?” she asked. “Because you believe that we must truly know each other if we are to trust each other?”

“Well, yeah,” I replied hesitantly.

“I understand that sentiment, but… when it comes to me, Naegi-kun, I think you should probably give up.” She tucked a lock of hair behind one ear, her eyes averted. “Close bonds are detrimental in a place like this. Personal experience is a ruthless teacher. There was a time when I grew too attached to someone, and I paid dearly for it. It taught me a lesson.” She murmured these words, as if they were of utmost importance, a treasured secret. As she spoke, she held her hands out in front of her chest, her lilac eyes fixed on the soft leather gloves, the metal studs of them gleaming. “I cared just a little too much about Samidare-san, and I wear these gloves as a reminder to never make such a mistake again.”

“The gloves..?” I wondered, watching the glossy highlight on the dark leather of her palms.

She curled her hands slowly into fists, the leather not so much as creaking, and said, “I’m sorry, but that’s the end of it. Try not to be too upset. The reason I don’t want to get close to you isn’t because I don’t trust you. In fact, I  _ do _ have faith in you; that’s why I chose to say as much as I have. I just want you to understand  _ why _ I can’t tell you. I can’t show you my self, just like I can’t show you what’s beneath these gloves. I can’t remember the last time that anyone has seen what they hide.”

She looked at me, her irises a cool but vibrant purple beneath her long sweeping eyelashes. Her face was neutral, but somehow I detected a note of sincerity in her voice, an earnestness that was hard to place.

“What would it take for someone to be able to see you?” I asked quietly. “To see beneath your gloves?”

“Only someone I could call family would…” She trailed off. “I can’t imagine anyone getting to the point where I’m comfortable enough to show them.”

“Family…” I murmured.

She tilted her head to the side slightly, and then said, “Are you going to volunteer?”

It took me a moment to understand what she was proposing, and then I felt my face flush scarlet. “I--no, it’s--it’s way too soon to talk about--about getting married! We’re still in high school, I can’t--”

“Got you again,” she said, smirking. She shook her head a little, a tiny laugh escaping her. “You really are foolishly open.”

_ She really did get me again… And she laughed at me, too. But… I think that it’s real laughter. It’s not fake, so maybe she really did just share something of herself with me. Maybe… making her laugh… is enough in itself. _

“You know, Naegi-kun,” she continued, looking up at me, seeming almost bashful. “I always tell you to be careful and protect yourself, but… to tell the truth, I hope you don’t change. I prefer it this way. It’s…” Kirigiri gave a half-shrug, self-conscious. “It’s you. Your kindness. Your honesty.” She rose from her seat. “Well, then. It’ll be night time soon, so I’ll take my leave. Goodbye for now.” As she walked away from the table, she added, “Let me remind you one more time that I’ll be leaving my dorm room door open so I can hear if Alter Ego shouts for help. I would suggest that nobody come into my room recklessly just because the door is open. I might mistake such a person’s intentions, and someone could come to harm.” With that, she was gone, leaving me alone in the dining hall with one other person.

“Ishimaru-kun,” I said carefully, sliding a little closer to him. He made no response, continuing to stare dead-eyed at the table. 

I was considering getting up and just going to bed a few minutes early, but then Ishimaru whispered hoarsely, “It’s… not fair.”

Although I was pretty sure I knew what he was referring to, I was relieved to hear his voice, so I indulged him. “What’s not fair, Ishimaru-kun?”

“Owada-kun,” he said, confirming my suspicions. “He… He never got the chance to chase after any of his dreams. You know I don’t like geniuses, Naegi-kun. Aniki was no genius. He wanted to work hard. He wanted to put in the effort and excel.” For the first time in what felt like ages, Ishimaru looked up, and our eyes met. There were large dark circles beneath them. “He told me that he wanted to be a carpenter, you know. He wanted to build things. Create and contribute to society. He was more than just a delinquent. Maybe he could’ve even built…” The corner of Ishimaru’s lip twitched a little, the beginnings of a wistful smile that couldn’t quite break through the storm clouds over his features. “It’s a little silly, since we didn’t know each other for long. But, Naegi-kun, I swear, it felt like I’d known Owada-kun for years. We… We talked about living together once we were out of this place. We…could’ve gotten a dog. Or something.” 

I placed a sympathetic hand on Ishimaru’s shoulder. “You guys really did bond quickly. Ishimaru-kun… You’re strong. But if you ever need anything, I’m here.”

He gave me a watery smile, nodding once, and stood shakily from his seat. We departed for our separate dorm rooms.

As I climbed into bed, I thought,  _ There’s no way one of us will kill over a silly thing like money. _ But as much as I tried to convince myself, doubt nagged at my heart. Last time, when the motive was the revelation of secrets, it was just the same. And someone still ended up dead.

_ This time… things will be different. Fujisaki-kun left us a beam of hope in the form of Alter Ego. I just have to cling onto that hope. And everything will turn out alright... _

絶望

Attention! It’s time for Monokuma Theatre! Here’s a message from our beloved headmaster:

_ Babies sure are cunning! They even use that cutesy little honorific ‘-chan,’ built into their names, like the names themselves denote cuteness! Similarly, I’d really like to be called ‘Monokuma-chan.’ With just this small change, my cuteness increased by ten percent! That’s right! There’s not enough ‘-chan’ in the world. Culprit-chan, war-chan, pollution-chan, traffic accident-chan, inheritance dispute-chan, deflation-chan… Dark subjects immediately turn light and fluffy! How adorable! _

_ \--Headmaster Monokuma _

絶望

Come morning time, I bumped into Yamada in the hallway and we headed to the cafeteria together.

“Ah, Naegi Makoto-dono… Such bliss! Today is sure to be splendid. Those are the feelings overflowing from my strawberry-filled heart.”

_ He’s oddly cheery _ , I thought as we entered the cafeteria.

“We’ve got the same seven as yesterday,” Hagakure observed dully. “No sign of Ishimaru-chi. He’s really becoming worrisome, eh?”

“For someone as naturally dedicated as him, it is disorienting to face disorder even once,” Celes explained.

Remembering the chat I’d had with him last night, I suggested, “Maybe we could find a way to help him recover somewhat.”

“That would be great, but there’s something more important to discuss,” Celes dismissed me. “Kirigiri-san, how did last night go?”

“There were no problems,” she reported. “I went to check on Alter Ego earlier this morning and everything seems to be in order. It’s just…” Kirigiri’s tone of voice changed suddenly, as if she were giving us words of warning. “Let me make one thing explicitly clear. It is forbidden to use Alter Ego for your own desires without talking to anyone. If people start going in and out of the bath frequently, I fear that the mastermind will grasp that something is going on.”

“I thought that went without saying,” Celes said, touching her fingertips to her lips in thought. “Did something happen?”

“That’s a good question. What do you think, Yamada-kun?” Kirigiri asked pointedly.

“Eh...er, it’s exactly as you say, Kirigiri Kyouko-dono,” he blustered. “Everyone ought to be cautious… Let’s just eat our breakfast! No time for idle chatter!”

And so we ate our breakfast in a hurry.

When the meal was finished, I decided to go speak with Ishimaru again, and when he opened his dorm room for me, I was delighted to see his expression of determination.  _ It may be a veneer, but maybe he hasn’t given up hope just yet… _

“G...Good morning, Naegi-kun.”

“Good morning, Ishimaru-kun. Feeling alright?”

“I’ve been better,” he confessed. “I just wish that…” There was a long pause as he seemed to consider something and gather his thoughts. “I wish I could talk to Fujisaki-kun one more time. Ask him about…” His voice petered out, and his shoulders sagged.

“Well… There’s Alter Ego,” I said hesitantly.

“Alter… Ego..?”

“Oh, that’s right,” I remembered. “You haven’t met Alter Ego yet! You weren’t there! I should introduce you, but… Ah, we’re not supposed to visit him often. Kirigiri-san just scolded Yamada-kun for doing exactly that.”

“What is… Alter Ego?”

“Alter Ego is an artificial intelligence program that Fujisaki-kun created,” I explained. “It thinks and speaks just like the real Fujisaki-kun did.”

Ishimaru’s eyes were wide and rimmed with red. “Is that… true? I have something I’d like… to discuss with him.”

I wrestled with the idea internally for a moment, but ultimately, seeing the pain in Ishimaru’s face, I knew I couldn’t deny him this one small thing. I led him to the locker room. Standing in front of the computer, I touched the mousepad to wake it up.

“Just tell me what you want to ask, and I’ll type it in for you,” I told him.

Ishimaru looked… hollow, almost, as he stood there. Stiff and afraid.

“Does Fujisaki-kun… hold a grudge… against my aniki?” he asked. His voice was strained, weak in spite of his efforts to stay strong. “Does he hold a grudge against me, who couldn’t prevent his death? ...Please.”

Wordlessly, I typed in Ishimaru’s questions, feeling an ache in my chest.

Alter Ego considered, and then said, “Do you… feel responsible? I think I know what my master would say. He’d say… ‘Please go on living. Although I did not make it, I want nothing but the best for my friends, and I wish for them to escape this place. I harbor no resentment towards Owada-kun, and still consider him a friend.’ ...Yeah. I think that’s what he’d say.” I was about to speak, but held my tongue as I realized that Alter Ego was thinking about something. Finally he said, “Is it Ishimaru-kun who’s asking that? Based on the data I have, I’d imagine he’s the most likely candidate.”

_ Yes, it’s Ishimaru-kun _ , I typed back.

“Well, Ishimaru-kun,” Alter Ego said, “if Owada-kun were here, I think he’d say something like… ‘You shouldn’t feel responsible, nor let yourself get crushed beneath that feeling. It’s inevitable that you’ll feel down for a little while, but you’ve got to start moving forward again afterwards!’ Does that sound like something Owada-kun might say?”

I turned to look at Ishimaru, and was surprised to see him grinning widely, tears streaming down his face. His hands were clenched into fists as he laughed out loud. “Ha… Hahahaha! This dry sponge feels as if it’s being soaked in water.” Ishimaru stamped his feet rowdily. “Those words… That soul. It’s making its home in my heart!”

“Ishimaru-kun..?” I asked dubiously.

“Who is this Ishimaru-kun you speak of?!” Ishimaru demanded. “Sorry for giving you all that fucking trouble, but no need to worry anymore! I’ve become a new me! My fighting spirit is bursting out!” Indeed, his eyes seemed aflame, his whole body alight with crackling energy.

“I-Ishimaru-kun, calm down--”

“I  _ am _ calm! And don’t call me Ishimaru! I am no longer Ishimaru! I am… I am just _ me _ ! Me!” With a jubilant shout, he sprinted out of the locker room at lightning speed.

Before I could chase after him, someone appeared in the doorway.

“Naegi-kun,” Kirigiri said calmly. “What are you doing?”

“K-Kirigiri-san! I was just… um…”

“You shouldn’t act on your own like this. It’s troublesome. Not just for me, but for everyone else.”

“I… I’m sorry.”

“If that apology is honest, leave this room right now.”

Having gotten myself into a fine mess, I moped out of the locker room.  _ I knew that was a bad idea… I just couldn’t stand seeing Ishimaru-kun so sad. _

絶望

The rest of the day passed in relative calm; I spent some time fending off Hagakure, who hounded me for assistance with his debt to the Kuzuryuu clan. Finally, he seemed to understand that I wouldn’t be giving him any of my organs, nor tangling with any sort of yakuza, and he left me alone. Afterwards, Asahina and I ran a few laps around the school, and then hung out in the dining hall and bonded over our mutual love of ramen.

As I retired to my room for the night, my mind was filled with thoughts of Ishimaru, and how Alter Ego had seemed to energize him. I wasn’t entirely sure of what had happened, exactly, but it seemed to be an improvement.  _ Maybe I’ll get to learn more tomorrow… _

絶望

Attention! It’s time for the Monokuma Theatre! Here’s a message from our beloved Headmaster:

_ I hate video games. Do you mind if I tell you the reason? There was once a time where even someone like me had someone he could call his best friend. He was my only friend, but one day while we were playing video games at his house, a bunch of his other friends came by! They brought a new video game with them, and everyone passed around the controller. Everyone except me got quickly absorbed in the new game! I was just watching. Yes, just watching! And what’s wrong with that? I sure didn’t mind! Thanks to that, the way to beat that game is burned into my mind. And I haven’t played it once. And I don’t plan to ever play it at all! _

_ \--Headmaster Monokuma _

絶望

In the morning, it was time to head to the cafeteria and find out if anyone else had run into Ishimaru last night. To my surprise, there was only one person waiting there for me: Hagakure.

“Hey, Naegi-chi. The others went on ahead. I’ll explain everything in a minute, eh? For the time being, let’s head to the public bath together.”

_ The public bath? _ I followed Hagakure down the hall and into the locker room that adjoined the bath, finding everyone else already there, bickering back and forth. As Hagakure and I entered the room, Yamada squealed, “Naegi Makoto-dono! Please save me! Save me, for heaven’s sake! Th-That woman is trying to kill me!” He pointed a stubby finger at Kirigiri, who wore a look of cold fury on her normally-stoic face.

“I never said I’d kill him. I just asked for an explanation. I managed to catch you repeating a previous err in judgement. That is to say: you don’t seem to be learning that your actions are unacceptable.” Her voice was clipped and sharp as she stared Yamada down.

“What did he do?” I asked.

“He snuck into the locker room during the night again to commune with Alter Ego, and for no purpose other than his own entertainment. Last time, I overlooked it and let him off with a warning, but that seems to have had no effect. So this time, I would like a complete explanation. To the entire class, please, Yamada,” she demanded calmly.

“Don’t kill me!” he pleaded, his hands together in front of him like he was praying. “I was just talking to her!”

“Even though I forbade it?” Kirigiri pressed.

“Th-That’s… um… Talking to her was so much more fun than I ever could’ve imagined!” he exploded. “I couldn’t help myself! It’s… It’s…”  
“Don’t say _true love_ ,” Hagakure warned, sounding nervous.

“It’s true love!” Yamada moaned, and Hagakure let out a gurgling sigh of displeasure. Yamada continued, “I, who is called the cruel killing machine of the demon realm! For me to fall for someone so easily! But certainly what I am feeling is indeed love…”

“There was a CEO I gave spiritual advice to one time,” Hagakure supplied helpfully. “He fell in love with a mannequin, and even married it. Yamada-chi, are you going to go that far?”

“She’s not a mannequin!” Yamada declared. “She’s an angel! Er, the matter of whether or not angels exist is a separate question, so let’s suspend our disbelief and say that she’s an angel.”

“He really  _ is _ in love,” Asahina said, grimacing.

“I just wanted to hear her say  _ master _ one more time…” Yamada said pathetically. “She says it in such a cute way!  _ Goshujin-tama _ … I just wanted to hear it! But… She’s such a well-made program! It was the first time I found it so easy to talk to a regular girl…”

“It’s… really not a regular girl,” Asahina reminded him.

“She listened patiently to everything I had to say. Even when I talked about my hobbies. She said I was interesting, and she wanted to know more. Aside from my mama, I’ve never had a woman so interested in what I had to say!”

“It’s pretty amazing that your mother was willing to listen to you,” Hagakure said, and I wasn’t sure if the observation was meant to be a snarky quip or if Hagakure was simply thinking out loud and not filtering his thoughts.

Ignoring him, Yamada went on. “I was happy. It was fun. And before I knew it… I fell in love with her. I love her face and her personality and the way she talks and her keyboard…”  
“Yamada-kun, you are misunderstanding the situation,” Celes said, and her voice wasn’t particularly kind, but neither was it cruel. “Alter Ego is not interested in _you_. It is interested in the information that you can provide it. It’s an artificial intelligence, a learning machine. It simply wants to know everything that it can, and it’s doubtful that your field of expertise is something that Fujisaki-kun programmed into it. All that Alter Ego wants is more knowledge of the universe.”

“I… I know all that, but…”

“Hey, bastards!” A loud voice suddenly cut off Yamada. “Why are you all blabbering on so selfishly?!” It was Ishimaru, his eyes ablaze just as they had been the previous night.

“Ishimaru-chi! You’re feeling better, eh?” cheered Hagakure.

“Who is this  _ Ishimaru _ you speak of?!” Ishimaru demanded. “I’m not Ishimaru! I’m Ishida! Ishida Kiyondo! Everything from my ass to my bad cholesterol is an amalgam of Ishimaru Kiyotaka and Owada Mondo! Our souls have fused!”

“Um,” I piped up, a little awkwardly. “Yesterday, he met Alter Ego for the first time, and… Well, it seems to have imbued him with some sort of fighting spirit.”

“Wow! So Owada’s soul really found its way into Ishimaru?” Asahina said.

Wide-eyed and sweating, Hagakure asked, “Are you talking about ghosts!? No! No way!”

“What the hell are you prattling about, you bastards!? I’m tired of your nonsense. Hey, you! Yamada!” Ishimaru pointed a rigid finger at Yamada, who barely had time to squeak out a response before Ishimaru was shouting again. “You fucker! I don’t know what your intentions are, but let me warn you! That laptop contains the spirit of my aniki! My brother! It belongs to me and me alone! Alter Ego… The one who breathed my brother’s soul into me! I won’t let any of you fuckers touch him!”

“This amalgam of Owada and Ishimaru just seems like Ishimaru, but ruder and more vulgar,” Hagakure muttered.

“I won’t yield!” Yamada retorted to Ishimaru. “Ishida Kiyondo-dono… Let me declare this to you loud and clear! Me and her… Our fate is tied by the bonds of love!”

“He and I are tied by our fierce camaraderie!” Ishimaru bellowed. “My fists will visit you on four different points of your median plane!”

“My punches fly with the speed of sound! I lack body hair, so there’s almost no air resistance!” Yamada screeched.

“Both of you two. Give me a break,” Kirigiri said loudly. “That program belongs to no one. Fujisaki-kun left it for all of us. It’s our one chance to gain an advantage in this place.”

“It is exactly as Kirigiri says,” Ogami agreed. “If either of you try to break rank, you will have to deal with me.”

That seemed to give both boys pause. They glanced at one another, a bit nervous.

“In any case,” Kirigiri continued, “until Alter Ego has completed its work, don’t get any weird ideas. Is everyone clear on that?” At the mumbled assents from Ishimaru and Yamada, Kirigiri ushered everyone out of the locker room.

“Is merely a warning enough?” Ogami wondered.

“I have thought of additional measures. Everything will be fine,” Kirigiri said, and her tone was grave.

With that, everyone dispersed, but I soon found myself alone with Kirigiri yet again. She stared at me, scrutinizing. I shifted uncomfortably under the intensity of her gaze.

“Um… Kirigiri-san..?”

“You really ought to be more careful, Naegi,” she said. “I know you meant well in bringing Ishimaru to see Alter Ego. But the more we move in and out of that locker room, the more suspicious Monokuma will become.”

“Yeah… Sorry…”

She closed her eyes and gave a small shake of her head. “Once again, you’re too honest. Too open. Too kind to others.” She turned on her heel and left me to ruminate as she called, “Someday, your trust in others may be your downfall.”

絶望

Attention! It’s time for the Monokuma Theatre. Here’s an announcement from our beloved headmaster:

_ Happy new day! I am an advocate of celebrating not just the new year, but every single new day. That was, every day is blessed! Today is no different! Happy new day! _

_ \--Headmaster Monokuma _

絶望

The next day, Ishimaru and Kirigiri were both notably absent from breakfast. Ogami informed us that Kirigiri was guarding the locker room--though she assured us that Kirigiri would be discreet--and Ishimaru’s whereabouts were a mystery.

“Meh,” whined Yamada. “We should just let that idiot be.”

“I suppose this conflict is unavoidable, eh?” Hagakure mused. “It’s a rivalry in love, isn’t it?”

“Don’t lump that virgin in with me!” Yamada argued. “His virginity might infect me too!”

“I don’t think that’s how it works, you virgin,” Hagakure remarked.

“Hagakure, you can tell Yamada is a virgin? How!?” Asahina asked, looking suddenly quite nervous.

“ _ Please _ let us stop this unseemly conversation and enjoy our breakfast in peace,” Celes lamented.

Before anyone could reply, the cafeteria doors slammed open, and a joyful cackle rang out.

“Genocider Syo,” Ogami said stiffly. “And Togami.”

“Don’t ask why we’re together,” sniffed Togami haughtily. “I won’t deign to answer.”

“I’ll give you a hint!” sang Syo. “I’m wearing red lingerie this morning!”

“Nobody asked,” Asahina replied.

“Shut it, you!” Syo commanded. “Hm… Hm-hm-hm! Your battle strength, from the top, is 88-57-84. The type that looks thinner with clothes on, aren’t you!? Speaking of, have I mentioned yet today how utterly ginormous your tits are!?”

“Back. Off,” Ogami growled, and Syo plopped down into a seat at the breakfast table with a cheerful and faux-innocent smile on her face.

“Once I leave this place I am going to feed your body to wild birds,” Togami said conversationally to Syo, sitting down as far from her as he could. “And by the way, I saw Ishimaru yesterday walking around. It seems he couldn’t take it anymore and his spirit finally broke. As expected.”

“Did you come here just to say nasty things?” Asahina griped.

“Well, if my presence here isn’t desired, I can take my leave.”

“I’ll follow wherever you go, Byakuya-sama!” crooned Syo.

絶望

The rest of the day passed uneventfully. I spent some time with Yamada, who told me a little bit about his otaku hobbies, and then I ran some laps with Asahina at her request. But that night, as I was getting ready for bed, a note was slipped beneath my door.

GATHER AT THE CAFETERIA, it said.  _ Wow… Whoever wrote this has really nice handwriting! I’m impressed. But… I have something of a bad feeling about this note. I’d better hurry. _ True to form, I scurried to the dining hall, where I found Hagakure there waiting for me.

“Naegi-chi!” he said. “Did you see my note?”

“Wow, you wrote that? You have amazing penmanship, Hagakure-kun! It’s kind of unexpected…”  
“Sloppy handwriting can bring a curse upon you,” he said seriously. “Anyway, Kirigiri-chi thinks we should have a nice bath together. Let’s go!” I let him grasp me firmly by the shoulders and steer me to the public bath yet again.

As soon as we entered the locker room, a loud voice reverberated through the room.

“Hey, you bastards! How long were you planning on keeping us waiting!? Punctuality is vital!” Ishimaru checked his wristwatch as he spoke. “It’s almost night time! Time for all good kids to be in bed!”

“Oh, shut up,” Yamada sneered, much to my surprise.

“I must say, this new version of Ishimaru is something of an upgrade,” Togami opined. “He’s finally built some character.”

“What was that, you fucker? Don’t speak as if you have something rotten stuck between your teeth!”

“How r-r-rude,” Fukawa replied. “A d-dung beetle like  _ you _ has no right to sp-peak to Byakuya-sama that way…”

“Let us discuss the matter that we all gathered to discuss,” Ogami suggested wearily. “Kirigiri, it was you who summoned us. Please tell us why.”

For the first time, I noticed that Kirigiri’s ever-stoic face seemed more overcast than usual. There was a steely look in her eye, and a downward tilt to her mouth. She took a deep breath and then said, “It’s gone. Alter Ego has disappeared from its locker.”

“Sh-She’s not here!?” Yamada squealed, and hurried over to the row of lockers. Indeed, he opened the locker where the laptop usually sat, and it was empty.

“Where has my brother gone!?” Ishimaru demanded.

“Perhaps the mastermind noticed what we were doing and removed it,” Celes suggested, seemingly unperturbed by the news.

“Alter Ego said it would shout if anyone it didn’t recognize came into the locker room,” Kirigiri reminded us. “If it was the mastermind who took the laptop, I would have heard something. I’ve been next door in the laundry room all day.”

“I’ve already solved the mystery!” Yamada announced. “Ishimaru Kiyotaka-dono! You’re the villain who took her away, aren’t you!?”

“I am a Super High School Level Moral Compass,” retorted Ishimaru. “It’s my job to enforce order! I will never be a culprit! If anyone here is suspicious, it’s you! Your untrustworthy face tells the whole story.”

“This isn’t even my true form! I still have three transformations left!”

“I think the probability of the thief being either Ishimaru-kun or Yamada-kun is low,” Kirigiri said. “I also told Alter Ego to raise its voice if either of them made an attempt to visit, since both of them have been behaving strangely as of late.”

“Nevertheless, Alter Ego never yelled,” Celes mused.

“So it wasn’t either of them. And it wasn’t the mastermind. Which means it must have been one of the remaining students,” Togami explained. “Me. Kirigiri. Naegi. Celes. Ogami. Asahina. Hagakure. Fukawa. One of these people is the culprit.”  
“Why the hell would any of us do such a thing?” Asahina said.

“How about this possibility,” Togami said, and a smile crept slowly across his face. “We have a traitor among us. A mole, working for the mastermind, who took Alter Ego away.”

I piped up immediately. “No way. Nobody here could be a traitor. None of us would do that to each other!”

“What a foolish statement to make,” he drawled. “Are you really so naive to think it impossible? Frankly, I’ve been entertaining the idea for a long while.”

“I… I don’t want to believe that someone would do that.” I straightened my posture and glared at Togami. “There’s no way! I refuse to accept that possibility.”

“Someone bring my angel back,” Yamada whined.

“At the very least, chances are low that Alter Ego has been destroyed,” Celes reasoned. “If that was the culprit’s goal, it would serve them well to simply do that here.”

“So there must have been another goal in mind,” Ogami agreed, nodding.

“The motive doesn’t matter!” bellowed Ishimaru. “All that matters is that I’m going to find her! I swear it--I promise as a man!”

“I’ll save her with the power of love!” Yamada snapped at him.

At that moment, Monokuma’s voice boomed through the school over the loudspeaker as he made the announcement that it was officially night time.

“Can we leave the investigation for tomorrow?” Celes said cautiously. “We should get some rest.”

“Naegi-kun, what do you think?” Kirigiri asked me out of the blue.

A little puzzled, I replied, “Y-Yeah, I think I agree. We should stick to our night time rule so the mastermind doesn’t think our behavior is out of the ordinary. Ishimaru-kun, Yamada-kun, I know how you both feel, but I think we have to endure it for the night so we can be at our best tomorrow.”

Both boys reluctantly agreed, seeming downtrodden.

“Well, then. Let us all get some sleep. We will start looking for Alter Ego in the morning.” Celes smiled serenely at us, giving a slight bow as she exited the locker room.

As we all split off to head back to the dorms, Togami murmured, “I suggest you start thinking about who may be the mastermind’s spy.” I could sense him trying to catch my eye, as if he were speaking directly to me, but I averted my gaze, not wanting to entertain the idea.

I trudged back to my room, a sinking feeling in my chest.  _ Alter Ego was a single point of hope that we held… And now it’s been snatched away. Could it really have been taken by a traitor? Someone working for the mastermind? _

Suspicion and fear curled around my heart like grasping vines, strangling me.  _ Surely all this doubt is far more dangerous than any spy could be. _

絶望

It’s time for the Monokuma Theatre! Here’s an announcement from our beloved headmaster:

_ With each era, the attitudes about death and killing change within society. If killing is proof of disorder, all of history’s heroes would have to be put on trial! It’s only the unjudged killings that are true cases of chaos. _

_ \--Headmaster Monokuma _

絶望

First thing in the morning, I went to the cafeteria to begin the search for Alter Ego. However, upon entering, I found that there were only three other people there.

“Ogami-san, Kirigiri-san, Asahina-san,” I said, waving. “Where is everyone else?”

“I hate people who can’t manage being on time,” griped Asahina.

“Whatever their reason for being late may be, we can only wait,” Ogami said wisely.

So I sat at a table with them, and we waited. We waited and waited and waited. But…

“It’s been nearly an hour,” Asahina said. “Why is nobody here? Hagakure and Celes-chan never missed a single breakfast until now…”

“I’m actually more worried about Ishimaru-kun and Yamada-kun,” I confessed. “Those two were the most eager to start searching, and yet they’re not here.

“Something happened,” Kirigiri said, her voice calm.

“Huh?”

“I got careless.” She was seething now, her fists clenched. “My thoughts were so wrapped up in Alter Ego, I forgot all about Monokuma’s current motive. The ten billion yen.”

“Ten billion yen,” I echoed weakly. “Are you saying that someone wants money so much that they would…” I swallowed the rest of the sentence. I already knew the answer. I didn’t like it, but I knew. It’s impossible to understand what goes on in other people’s minds. Like Togami had said before, just because  _ I _ wouldn’t do it didn’t mean that someone else wouldn’t.

“We should go search for them,” Kirigiri said, and I may have been imagining it, but she seemed to soften at whatever expression was on my face.

_ Foolishly open _ , she had called me again and again. Surely my worries were written all over me at the moment.

“Let’s go,” Asahina said resolutely, and we all marched out of the cafeteria, determination in our steps.

“I think it’s best if we split up our search,” Kirigiri suggested. “We can cover ground more quickly that way. Ogami-san, please handle the dormitory area. Check out all the private rooms. Naegi-kun, look around the first floor. I’ll search the second. And Asahina-san--”

“That leaves me with the third floor. Got it.”

“Don’t try to be a hero,” Kirigiri warned. “If something happens, call for help.”

“Hopefully it won’t come to that.” Asahina broke into a sprint, dashing for the stairs, seeming ready for anything.

I walked swiftly to the school area, the first floor, to search. I checked one empty classroom after another, and was about to enter the AV room when I heard a voice.

“S-Someone! Come quick!”

I turned on my heel and ran for the source of the voice--Asahina’s. She was on the stairs, her body trembling, looking panicked. She gestured wildly for me to follow and then scrambled back up the stairs. I was hot on her heels as she led me to the third floor, and then we were skidding to a halt outside the game room.

“N-Naegi! It-It’s bad. You go talk to her. I’m gonna go gather everyone else.”

“Wait, Asahina-san--”

She had bolted, sneakers squeaking as she rushed to gather Kirigiri and Ogami. I turned to face the rec room door, cold dread coating my throat like medicine.

_ What am I going to find in there? _

I steeled myself, preparing for the worst, and pushed the door open gently.

Seated on one of the couches was Celes. Her normally immaculate dress was wrinkled, the ribbons in her hair untied and hanging loosely. She looked up at me as I entered, and I gasped when I saw the mottled black bruise beneath her eye, blood from her nose drying on her upper lip. She was clutching her left arm with her right hand, holding it gingerly as if it were injured.

“Naegi-kun,” she said weakly.

“C-Celes-san! Wh-What happened!?” I hurried over to her, kneeling beside the couch on which she sat.

“I--I was careless,” she said, and laughed bitterly. “I got attacked by a strange individual…”

“A strange individual..?”

She nodded and then winced, her neck stiff. She pointed to something lying on the floor. “With that.” It was a wooden mallet, painted in garish primaries.

“Justice Hammer 1,” I read aloud, the words painted on the mallet’s surface.

“Naegi! Celes-chan!” Asahina called out, and then she and Ogami were hurrying into the room. “I brought Sakura-chan!”

“C-Celes. What in heavens happened?” Ogami asked.

“She was attacked,” I said.”

“By a very strange individual,” Celes added.

“Please,” Ogami requested, “tell us what happened.”  
“I awoke a little before seven o’clock this morning,” Celes began. “I naively thought that it would be fine to leave my room, and I went for a little walk through the first floor of the school. It was a mistake. I spotted the strange individual there. I couldn’t just leave him alone, so I followed him quietly. He came here, to the recreation room. When I peeked in the door, he noticed and attacked me. He hit me with that hammer. Justice Hammer 1.”

“So the time you were attacked…”

“Just after seven this morning.”

“About an hour ago,” I elaborated. “When the four of us were waiting in the cafeteria.”

“I’m afraid that I lost consciousness a few minutes after I was struck. I suppose this means I’ve been unconscious for an hour. In that case… We should hurry. I am afraid that if we do not find the suspicious person, something terrible may happen… to Yamada-kun...”

“Yamada-kun?”

“Yamada-kun and the suspicious person were together here in the rec room. After the suspicious individual hit me with the hammer, I begged for my life, throwing away my pride. And then, as my consciousness was fading from the force of the blow I received, the attacker took Yamada-kun with him and disappeared.”

“He was abducted?” Ogami said, a tremor in her voice.

“Celes-san, did the suspicious person have any identifying features? Something we can use to figure out who it was? Some kind of description...”

“I have better than a description. I had the digital camera with me. The one that Yamada-kun gave to me. I managed to take a photo.” Celes opened her coat and withdrew the pink plastic camera with the anime character on it. She turned it on and showed us the singular image that was stored on it.

The image was difficult to comprehend. As Celes had said, there was Yamada. There was an expression of terror on his face, his mouth open wide in an exaggerated scream. Looming over him was a tall figure in what appeared to be a robot costume, painted in red, blue, and yellow. Its arms were draped across Yamada’s shoulders, as if it had him in something of a headlock.

“Is that a robot cosplay..?” Asahina said, bewildered.

“As I said: very strange and suspicious, is it not?” Celes pressed.

“Completely,” Asahina agreed, blowing out a shocked breath. “So… this robot guy dragged Yamada away about an hour ago? That’s really bad! We’ve got to go find them!”

“Celes-san, did you see where they went?”

“After leaving the recreation room, they turned left. That was all I saw before falling unconscious.”

“The left. That’s the staircase down to the second floor,” Ogami said.

“That’s where Kirigiri-chan is searching!” Asahina gasped.

“Now that you mention Kirigiri-san… Where is she, Asahina-san?” I asked.

“I, um…” Asahina glanced at me and away a few times, looking guilty. “I didn’t go get her when I went to get you and Sakura-chan. Sorry. But… it means she’s all alone there now! We have to go find her!”

_ Asahina-san didn’t go try to find Kirigiri-san… Why? _ I wondered.  _ Maybe she’s afraid of Kirigiri-san..? Or she thinks that Kirigiri-san might be… _ I didn’t let myself finish the thought.  _ There’s no way. _

“This is troubling,” Ogami said. “If the culprit is on the second floor, there is a chance that Kirigiri is in danger.”

“Let’s go,” I said, and without waiting for a reply I ran out of the rec room and hurried down the stairs to the second floor, registering the sound of rushing footsteps behind me as the three girls followed.

“Oi,” said a familiarly cold voice. “Simpletons. Why are you in such a hurry?”

“Oyoyo? Are we playing something?” cooed Genocide Syo, standing a little behind Togami as if she wanted to cling to him.

“It’s not a game!” Asahina snapped.

“Have you two seen Kirigiri-san or Yamada-kun anywhere?” I inquired hurriedly.

“Seen them lots of times and in lots of places! But not today,” Syo said. Glancing at Celes, she said, “ _ Say _ , you got a bit of a bruise there! Kyahaha!”

Ignoring Syo, Togami asked, “Are they on this floor? We just arrived. We heard the racket you people were making and came to see what’s going on.”

“Together!” Syo added.

“We most certainly are not. You are stalking me.”

“Same thing!”

“Can you please search with us?” I requested, cutting off whatever Togami had been about to argue.

“There isn’t time to explain. It’s much too serious,” Ogami warned.

“Well, at the very least it seems interesting. I suppose I’ll tag along.”

“And I go where Byakuya-sama goes!”

Asahina cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted down the corridor at maximum volume: “Yamada! Kirigiri-chan! Can you hear us!?”

We all paused, waiting for a response. “I hear something. Faintly. From the library,” Ogami said suddenly, turning and pointing to the heavy oak doors.

Wasting no time, Asahina dashed over to them and pulled them open, and the rest of us followed her.

“Yamada!” she cried.

“Ugh,” Yamada groaned. “It… hurts…” He was leaning heavily against one of the desks, blood drying all the way to his chin from his hairline.

“Yamada-kun!”

“Thank goodness, he’s alive,” Asahina said, breathing a sigh of relief.

“I--I’m not okay!” Yamada said, his voice high and frightened. “Look at all this blood! I got hit on the head!”

“How did you receive this injury?” Togami demanded.

“He hit me… Robo Justice!”

“Robo… Justice..?” I repeated. “That must be--”

“The suspicious person in Celes-chan’s picture,” Asahina said. “Right, Celes-chan?!”

“What in hell is Robo Justice?” Togami asked flatly.

“Galaxy King Robo Justice,” whimpered Yamada. “I love that manga! To think that someone in a cosplay of such a heroic character… would do this..! It’s incomprehensible!”

“This… Robo Justice…” Celes began. “Is this him?” She displayed the photo for Yamada to see, his own screaming face staring back at him.

“What the hell..?” Togami said.

“Yes! That is undoubtedly him,” Yamada said. “Robo Justice!”

“And… he hit you… with that hammer, did he?” Celes inquired, pointing a pale finger at an object on the ground.

“Justice Hammer 2!” I said, reading the script off the side of the mallet, which was painted identically to the one that had been used to strike Celes. “And it’s bigger than Justice Hammer 1…”

“At least you’re relatively okay, for being hit with a hammer of such a large size,” Asahina hedged, patting Yamada on the arm in what she probably meant as a reassuring gesture.

“I’m not fine! He hit me right on the head! I’m bleeding!”

“It looks to me like it’s not bleeding anymore,” observed Togami.

“Let us take Yamada-kun to the infirmary on the first floor,” Celes suggested. “His condition seems like it will require some treatment.”

“That’s a good idea,” Asahina agreed. “You should probably sit down for a minute too. All this running around isn’t good for you, since you’re injured. Let’s go.”

“Much obliged,” Yamada said as we led him down the stairs.

He took a seat on one of the cots in the infirmary and mumbled, “I think the bleeding has stopped… I just need a moment to… settle my nerves.”

“We should let Yamada-kun rest here for the time being,” Celes said, touching him on the shoulder with a soothing hand.

“Y-Yeah… I could use the rest.”

“The rest of us should return to our search for Robo Justice,” she continued, “before the next victim turns up. The hammers… Hammer 2 was larger than Hammer 1. If they keep increasing in size, so too will they increase in deadliness.”

“Yamada,” Togami demanded. “Do you have any helpful information to contribute?”

“Um…” Yamada paused to think for a moment. “I woke up early this morning and decided to get a head start on searching for her. For Alter Ego. I reached the recreation room on the third floor, and that’s where I ran into Robo Justice. He struck Celestia Ludenberg-dono on the head with the hammer, and then dragged me to the library, where he hit me as well. That was… around thirty or forty minutes ago.”

“That would’ve been around 7:30,” Asahina calculated. “Me, Naegi, Sakura-chan, and Kirigiri-chan were all in the cafeteria.”

“I was doing my laundry at that time,” Togami said.

“Your underwear is as pitch-black as a moonless night,” Syo simpered.

“Why do you know that?” Togami demanded, looking disgusted.

_ It looks like Togami-kun and Syo-san were together, so they both have an alibi… The remaining people who could’ve attacked Celes-san and Yamada-kun are… Hagakure-kun and Ishimaru-kun. There’s nobody else. _

“By the way, what happened to Kirigiri? I haven’t seen her anywhere,” Togami said.

“She was supposed to be searching the second floor,” Asahina said.

“...But we didn’t see her,” Ogami finished for her. “Where did she disappear to..?”

“Vanished, did she? I see… She certainly is a strange girl.” He smirked. “I think that she is the most likely candidate.”

“No, she can’t be,” I said. “She was with us the whole time.”

“I didn’t say that she was Robo Justice.” He rolled his eyes. “What I mean is that she’s the most likely candidate for the mastermind’s spy. The traitor in our group.”

“Y-You think Kirigiri-san is working for the mastermind?” I said. “That… It can’t be true.”

“And why can’t it?” Togami scoffed. “The girl whose character is still unclear? Who refuses to tell us her talent? Who looks at bodies without flinching and doesn’t even mind touching them?”

“Let us keep this discussion for later,” Ogami said seriously, shooting me a sympathetic glance. “Right now, finding Robo Justice is our priority.”

“Sakura-chan is right. If we don’t hurry, there could wind up being another victim. Kirigiri-chan, or Ishimaru, or Hagakure.”

“I’ll join you after resting for a little while,” Yamada said.

“We understand. Take it easy for now,” Celes agreed.

As we left Yamada in the infirmary, Asahina said, “I don’t understand the point of that silly costume the attacker is wearing.”

“Ah--!” Celes suddenly let out a yelp of surprise, her eyes going wide as she stared at something down the hallway. She pointed frantically. “Did you see that!? There was a shadow! A shadow moving at the top of the stairs!”

“The villain will not escape,” Ogami said, and charged down the hall.

We ran after her, our footsteps pounding against the steps, Celes’ breathing ragged with fear.

“We--We should split up and corner him,” she panted as we reached the top.

“If you encounter him, yell for help,” Asahina commanded. “Let’s go.”

“Wait,” Celes interrupted. “What kind of yell? Is something like  _ kyaaa! _ Alright?”

“What? It doesn’t matter! Shout  _ kyaaa _ or  _ yoohoo _ or whatever the heck you want--just make sure it’s loud!”

“Hehe…  _ Yoohoo _ is amusing,” Celes said, chuckling. “I’ve never heard that as a suggestion for a warning yell before.”

“Whatever. Let’s just get on with it. No more wasting time!” Asahina said, and sped off to search.

“Robo-chan!” Syo called, laughing. “Where are you hiding!? If you don’t show yourself, I’ll dismantle you!”

We split up and went in all different directions, trying to find where the suspicious person in the Robo Justice costume had gone. I checked the locker room area first, and was about to continue into the pool when I heard a shout.

“ _ Yoo-hoo! _ ” someone had screamed at the top of her lungs--Celes!  _ That came from the third floor! _

I sprinted as fast as my legs would take me, nearly colliding with Togami as we all met up at the top of the steps.

“Celes-chan,” Asahina said. “What happened!?”

“He’s here!” Celes said. “I saw him! He went down that corridor and to the left!”

“Let’s go--”

Before we could follow the direction that Celes was pointing, another scream rang through the hallway, coming from the floor below us.

“Yamada-kun,” I gasped. “We left him alone in the infirmary! That screaming was his voice, wasn’t it!? That sounded really bad! Let’s go back!”

“What about the suspicious person? We finally cornered him,” Togami argued.

“We should split into two groups,” Celes suggested.

“I want to follow the robot. That’s far more interesting.”

“In that case, Naegi-kun, Asahina-san, and I will go back to the infirmary. Fukawa-san, Togami-kun, and Ogami-san can continue chasing our suspicious person.”

“Leave Robo Justice to us,” Ogami agreed. “Go see to Yamada. Make sure he’s alright.”

“Be careful,” I called over my shoulder, and we wasted no more time, Celes, Asahina, and I heading downstairs to the first floor, where the infirmary was.

We stopped outside the infirmary, and my heart thudded in my chest. I felt sick. And as Celes stepped forward and opened the door, I could feel it--the aura of misery and despair that emanated from the room beyond. The infirmary doors opened to a world painted crimson.


	7. Chapter 3: New Century Galactic Legend! Stand Tall, Armored Hero! (Abnormal Days)

He lay in a pool of blood in the center of the infirmary.

“Y-Yamada-kun…”

“It seems… that my fears came true,” Celes struggled to say. “Yamada-kun has been killed…”

“No! K...Killed? You’re joking,” Asahina said, desperation in her voice. “No, no…”

_ Ding dong, dong ding. _

“A body has been discovered!” Monokuma sang through the loudspeakers. “Following a brief period of investigation, we will commence our school trial!”

“The body discovery announcement,” Celes whispered, her poker face unreadable but her voice hushed and distant. “There can be no doubt. Furthermore… Look.”

She pointed, and there it was, just like in the two previous attacks: a brightly-colored mallet, even larger than the last, its title of Justice Hammer 3 emblazoned across it.

“Anyone hit with a thing like that wouldn’t stand a chance,” Celes said. “There is no question. Yamada-kun must have been killed by that villain, Robo Justice.”

“Wait a second,” I said. “Didn’t you just see him on the third floor? The others went to go chase him, after all. How could he have gotten here?”

“We can puzzle that out later. Right now, we must inform the others.”

Reluctantly, I conceded to that.

“Asahina-san, are you quite alright?” Celes asked. I looked over to see that Asahina was remarkably pale, covering her mouth with her hands, seeming dazed.

“I… I think I’m gonna throw up…”

“Celes-san, stay here with Asahina-san. I’ll go tell everyone else,” I said, taking charge.

Celes frowned, but said, “Very well. Please hurry.”

“Leave it to me.”

I couldn’t stop shaking as I raced up the two flights of stairs and down the hall in the direction the others had gone. Adrenaline was coursing through me, filling me with jitters, making my mind feel fuzzy and detached. I was on autopilot as I reached the back end of the third floor corridor, where the physics lab was.

The lab itself was empty, but the door to the storage room at the back was slightly ajar. I moved swiftly, hurrying to where Togami, Genocider Syo, and Ogami would surely be. When I stepped through the doorway, I found myself looking into the face of the newest nightmare of the day.

“I...Ishimaru-kun…” I said, my voice hoarse. His white uniform was stained scarlet. He was face-down in a pool of his own blood. “N...No… And… is that… Fukawa-san!?”

“Fukawa isn’t dead,” Togami said, seeming almost disappointed. “She shifted back into herself on the walk here, just in time to faint at the sight of Ishimaru’s corpse.”

“Justice Hammer 4,” Ogami said quietly, indicating the huge blood-splattered weapon that lay near Ishimaru’s body. “But… That isn’t right. Celes was assaulted with Justice Hammer 1, and Yamada was assaulted with Justice Hammer 2. So, logically, this one should be Justice Hammer 3, should it not?”

“Oh,” I said, feeling light-headed. “Yamada-kun… He’s dead. He was k...killed... with Justice Hammer 3.”

“Yamada was also killed?” Ogami said sharply.

“So that’s why you came here to find us,” Togami surmised. “Well, then. I suppose we ought to go have a look for ourselves at what befell Yamada.”

“Wait--we can’t just leave Fukawa-san unconscious here!” I protested.

“Yes, we can. In fact, I’d wager that we have to. There are pressing matters to attend to.”

I wanted to argue, but Togami just left the room at a brisk pace, so I could do nothing but follow him, with Ogami taking up the rear. The three of us left the physics room, but before we could make our way back downstairs, Celes appeared.

“Celes-san, aren’t you supposed to be at the infirmary?”

“I--I was,” she said, looking frazzled. “Something has… happened.”

“We heard. Yamada got himself killed,” Togami replied.

“Well, yes, but… That’s not what I mean. I mean that… it’s gone.”

“What’s gone?”

“Yamada-kun’s body. It has disappeared.”

There was a long pause after she said that.

Finally, Togami spoke up. “That’s silly. A dead body can’t just vanish.”

Celes said nothing.

“Surely you’re not serious,” Togami insisted.

“Let’s return to the infirmary,” Ogami suggested, and we all fell into step together, nobody daring to say a word as we all went to verify Celes’ statement.

We stood in the infirmary door. “I don’t believe it…” Yamada’s body had been lying in the middle of the infirmary just minutes ago, and now… The puddle of blood and Justice Hammer 3 remained, but Yamada himself… was simply gone.

From behind us in the corridor, Asahina spoke up. “Celes-chan and I went to the restroom for just a moment. Barely any time at all. And when we came back…”

“The culprit must have dragged the body away,” Celes said. “It’s almost like… it’s a game to him. He’s enjoying seeing us run around in fear… If this goes on, we’ll all end up dead. He’s going to kill the rest of us, just like he killed these guys…”

“I can’t believe it,” Togami said, shaking his head. “Not only do we have two consecutive murders, we also have a vanishing corpse on our hands…”

“W...Wait a second!” Asahina yelped. “What do you mean,  _ two _ consecutive murders?”

“Ishimaru has been killed,” Ogami told her. “His body is in the physics lab on the third floor.”

“I...Ishimaru is dead too!? I can’t take this…”

“Hm… If this culprit really is planning on killing this many people… perhaps Fukawa will be next,” Togami said.

Ogami’s eyes went wide. “I forgot. We left her unconscious in the physics lab. We must return at once to ensure that she is alright!”

“You just left her at the crime scene!?” Celes said incredulously.

“We didn’t have a choice. In any case, let’s go back there now.” Togami led the charge as we headed back up the stairs, for what felt like the hundredth time this morning. “She’s a dangerous person, you know,” he said, his tone conversational. “I’d be thankful if someone were to kill her.”

“You fiend, what an awful thing to say,” Ogami growled.

“I have no obligation to feign camaraderie with any of you.”

“Now isn’t the time to fight about this!” I said.

“If something happens to Fukawa, you will have to deal with me, Togami,” Ogami threatened.

Togami just scoffed. “You don’t frighten me.”

We had arrived back at the physics lab, and I burst through the door in a hurry. Fukawa was just as we had left her, unconscious on the floor. Beside her was the sticky pool of Ishimaru’s blood, but… Ishimaru himself… had disappeared.

“The body is gone,” I said, dumbfounded. “Ishimaru-kun’s body is gone!”

“How in the hell..?” Togami began.

“Is this a dream?” Ogami said, touching a fingertip to her head.

“Another body disappeared!?” Asahina asked. “Is this where it was? And now it’s gone?”

“It hasn’t  _ disappeared _ , and it’s not  _ gone _ ,” Togami corrected her, teeth clenched. “That’s impossible. The culprit merely hid the bodies. They can’t have gone far. For what reason someone would do such a thing… I don’t know.”

“In any case, it’s clear that someone put on that costume and went on a killing spree,” Celes said, a grimace on her face.

“At least we don’t have to worry about any more deaths occurring,” Togami said. “Think. A series of murders followed by the hiding of the bodies… There are only two people who could have done all of that. When we heard Yamada’s dying scream, everyone in this room was together on the third floor. We split into two groups. When Ishimaru’s body disappeared, it was the same; everyone was back at the infirmary together. Each of us has an alibi for at least one of these two occurrences, which means that the only people who could have committed these crimes are Kirigiri and Hagakure.”

“Wait a second!” I protested. “Kirigiri-san has an alibi for the time Celes-san and Yamada-kun were attacked. We were together at the cafeteria!”

“You sure are quick to defend her,” Togami observed. “Could it be that you’ve fallen in love with her?”

“Wh--What?”

“Nevermind. Whatever. So, according to you, Kirigiri has an alibi. Which leaves only Hagakure. Case closed.”

“Hagakure-kun does seem like the only possibility,” Celes agreed.

“And that means there will be no more murders. Remember, each blackened is only allowed to kill a maximum of two people.”

“Togami, you must have realized from the very start that there was no reason to worry about Fukawa being killed,” Ogami said.

“That’s true, but the possibility of her life being in danger certainly made you all move quickly. And I meant what I said about being grateful if someone  _ were _ to kill her. Anyway, we should begin searching for the two missing bodies.”

_ The two missing bodies… The two victims… The only person who could have done all this is Hagakure-kun. He’s the only person unaccounted for the entire time. But… is he really the culprit? And if Kirigiri-san isn’t involved in any of this, then where the hell did she go? _

“Naegi, I can practically see the smoke coming out of your ears,” snarked Togami. “What’s wrong?”

“Huh? O-Oh. It’s nothing.”

“Let’s split up and search,” Celes said. Asahina seemed like she was about to argue, but Celes held up a hand and added, “Remember, the danger has passed, so there is no cause for concern about splitting up.”

“Asahina, if you are worried, then I shall join you in searching.”

“Y-Yeah. Thanks, Sakura-chan.”

“No need to thank me.”

Togami, bored of this interaction, turned and left the room, calling over his shoulder as he went. “If anyone finds a body, be sure to call me.”

And so the search began.

The nearest room was the art room, as it was positioned quite close to the physics lab. Ogami and Asahina were there, quietly inspecting beneath desks and behind statues. I greeted them softly and then approached the door at the back that led to the storage room. It rattled as I attempted to open it.  _ Huh. It’s locked. That’s… odd. _

There was nothing I could do about the storage room being locked, so I followed Asahina and Ogami as they exited the art room. I watched them as they both ducked into a classroom to check there, and then I continued down the hall to the rec room. Inside, I found no traces of either body, but Justice Hammer 1--the one that had been used to attack Celes--was still lying on the ground.

I hefted the hammer carefully, noting the rough texture of the brightly colored paint. There was no blood on the hammer, but that was understandable; Celes had only been bleeding a little bit, from her nose, when we had found her. I set the mallet back down where I had found it, and left the rec room.

I nearly walked right into Celes, who stood there with wide eyes.

“Naegi-kun…”

“Why are you idling around?” Togami snapped from behind her. “Come with us. We’re going to the art room.”

“I found the bodies,” Celes said hoarsely. “Yamada-kun and Ishimaru-kun’s bodies were in the storage area at the back of the art room.”

“We already called Asahina and Ogami. Let’s go. Quickly.”

I trotted after Togami and Celes, reeling.  _ The art room? I was just there, only a few minutes ago! _

Togami grabbed the handle of the storage room door and threw it open without preamble. And there they were: Ishimaru sprawled lifelessly on a blue tarp, and Yamada on his back nearby.

“Well. There we have it. Now that we have the bodies, all that’s left is identifying the culprit…”

“You bastard,” Asahina spat at Togami, having just caught up to us. “How are you so calm? Two people just  _ died _ ! They’re never coming back…” Overwhelmed by emotion, Asahina dropped to her knees between the two boys, tears falling freely as she hunched over. “Who could… do something like this..?”

“Asahina…” Ogami said gently.

“Urgh…”

We all froze at the nasally groan.  _ No… There’s no way… That was..! _

“Where… am I?” Yamada whimpered. “It’s… cold…”

“Y-Yamada!” squeaked Asahina, and scrambled on all fours to him, where she gently lifted his head and placed it in her lap. “H-Hang on, Yamada! You’re… You’re gonna be okay,” she sobbed.

“Ah… I remember…” Yamada said, his voice faint and strained. “Hope’s Peak Academy...with all my dearest friends… That’s right… I remember… Before we all met… we had all met, hadn’t we?”

“His mind is in shambles,” Togami tutted. “He’s going to die.”

“Yamada,” Asahina begged. “Who did this to you? Tell us who h-hurt you!”

“Y...Yasu...hiro…” Yamada whispered. And then his eyes closed one final time, never to open again. Asahina touched his cheek, crying quietly, and her fingertips came away scarlet. And that was it.

Over the loudspeakers:  _ Ding dong, dong ding. _ “A body has been discovered..!” After delivering his usual spiel, Monokuma appeared before us to remind us that the Monokuma File would be available. But I wasn’t really listening to him. All I could do was stare at the boy whose final word was the name of his killer.  _ It’s that easy this time..? _

“This world doesn’t work according to the rules of manga, you know,” Togami said snidely, looking down at the weeping Asahina. “You can’t bring him back to life with the power of your tears.”

“Your heart truly is made of stone,” Celes remarked. “I hope it at least provides good minerals to keep your body healthy.”

“This is irritating,” Togami continued, ignoring her. “He managed to say more than he should have. Now the game is spoiled.”

“He did say ‘Yasuhiro,’ didn’t he…” Ogami murmured.

“He could not have meant anyone other than Hagakure Yasuhiro,” Celes said. “That  _ is _ Hagakure-kun’s first name, is it not?”

“It’s quite decisive evidence,” Togami sighed. “What a shame.”

I touched a fingertip to my chin in thought.  _ The person who attacked people one after another, and then killed Yamada-kun and Ishimaru-kun… The person who disguised himself in a robot cosplay and called his weapons Justice Hammers… It was Hagakure-kun? Moreover, since when are Yamada-kun and Hagakure-kun close enough that they use given names instead of family names? _

“Hagakure isn’t going to get away with this,” Asahina said, rising shakily to her feet.

“Let’s begin. Our lives depend on this game, after all. We’re relatively safe, since we know the answer already, but we should still investigate. It seems perfunctory, but there’s nothing else to do to pass the time until the trial,” Togami suggested.

“I guess we should start with the Monokuma File.”

Nodding, Togami read aloud: “ _ The victims are Yamada Hifumi and Ishimaru Kiyotaka. Both were killed by a blow to the head. The weapons were quite similar… _ That’s all it says. Compared to the previous times, there isn’t much information here.”

“It’s not really a problem, is it?” Celes shrugged. “This time, we’ve seen how it all developed with our own eyes. I’m sure we know more about the situation than any Monokuma File could tell us.”

“I suppose you’re right…”

“There is one thing that still worries me,” Ogami piped up then. “Kirigiri is still missing. It’s true that she has an alibi for the time Celes and Yamada were attacked, but… What if this is not a one-man crime, and she assisted Hagakure as an accomplice?”

“But an accomplice has nothing to gain, remember?” I reminded her.

“In the event of an accomplice--”

“Agh! Monokuma!? Where did you come from!?”

“...Ahem. As I was  _ saying _ , in the event of an accomplice, there can still be only one graduate. The blackened in such a situation would be the person who planned and executed the murders. And that’s all I’ll say! The rest is a battle of wits between you bastards and the culprit! I wish both parties luck!” And with that, Monokuma was gone just as quickly as he’d arrived.

“So Kirigiri-san isn’t involved in this after all,” I said, and breathed a sigh of relief.

“But if she isn’t...then where did she go?” Asahina wondered.

“It is sufficient to know that she is not involved,” Ogami said. “Let us focus on the investigation.”

“By the way, what are we doing about guarding the crime scene?” Celes asked. “Previously, Owada-kun was one of our guards, but…” She made a soft  _ tsk _ sound, as if to say,  _ Can’t be helped. _

“Asahina, would you mind standing guard with me?”

“Sure thing, Sakura-chan. I’m not much help in the investigations anyway…”

As Ogami and Asahina took up their positions, I approached Ishimaru’s body. He was flat on his belly on a blue tarp, blood drying thick in his hair.  _ According to the Monokuma File, he was killed by a blow to the head… I think it’s safe to assume that Justice Hammer 4 was the weapon, but I’ll head to the physics lab to look around some more just to be sure. _

_ What’s this tarp? Maybe the culprit used it to move the body. _

Having finished with Ishimaru, I stepped away to examine Yamada.

_ How could the culprit have moved a body like Yamada-kun’s? He’s huge… And they’d have had to carry him upstairs from the infirmary on the first floor. _

The blood from his head wound was still fresh, and I could smell it as I knelt down to look closer.  _ There’s something odd… When we first found Yamada in the infirmary, his glasses were splattered with blood… But now they’ve been wiped completely clean. _

I stood up and backed away from the bodies to think about it, and that’s when I noticed something: the row of sculpting mallets that hung on the wall.  _ Four mallets are missing… I bet this is where the Justice Hammers came from. _

The mallets were of varying size, and all but one seemed dirty, with shards of stone still stuck to them here and there.  _ This one is clean… and it’s wet, too! Was it recently washed? _

Other than the mallets, there was another item in the room that caught my eye: a blue dolly that I recognized as being from the physics lab.  _ There’s blood on the wheel… This must’ve been used to transport Ishimaru-kun’s body from the physics lab to the art room! _

As I was getting ready to go check out the other crime scene, Togami stopped me. “Naegi. What do you make of all this?”

“Um… Well, it seems like Hagakure-kun is the obvious suspect. But… There’s a few things I don’t really understand. Like, why would he go to the trouble of disguising himself in a robot costume?”

“Maybe he thought we wouldn’t know it was him if he hid himself..? He is a world-class idiot, after all.”

“It’s true that he’s not the brightest bulb in the room, but… Can we really just go with that reasoning? I feel like there’s another clue hidden somewhere in there. And there’s another thing I don’t understand: why did the culprit move the bodies?”

Togami paused, blond brows furrowed. “Perhaps he was trying to stall the investigation..? They were easy to find, but… I think we can attribute that to the culprit’s stupidity as well.”

“Is that really a good enough reason?”

Togami shrugged noncommittally.

“And, Togami-kun… Why would he kill  _ two _ people? It makes it way harder to get away with, doesn’t it? It creates more evidence.”

Togami tipped his head to the side, his eyes narrowed in thought. Then, finally, he said, “...You know, you bring up an interesting possibility…”

“What is it, Togami-kun?”

“Don’t speak to me as if we’re friends. I know you have a brain rattling around somewhere in that skull of yours. Use it.” He smirked and made a gesture as if he was shooing away a fly, so I took the hint and went to leave.

“Naegi,” Asahina said. “When we all split up to search for the bodies, Sakura-chan and I came here first, and so did you. But when we all got here… The door to this back storage room was locked, wasn’t it?”

“That’s right,” I recalled.

“So… Who could have locked the door? And who opened it later?”

After a moment, I admitted that I had no idea. “I’ll be sure to investigate the door. Maybe there’s a trick to it.”

There was only one entrance to this particular room, and it had been locked when I first tried it. As promised, I stepped back and forth in the door frame to get a look at it from all angles.  _ The door can only be locked and unlocked from the inside… So whoever did that had to have already been in here. So… The killer moved the bodies in here… Locked the door while we were searching… And then unlocked it and left. And once the door was unlocked, the bodies could be found. _ It seemed like a reasonable theory as I plotted it all out in my head, but something about it didn’t quite sit right.  _ They’d have to have been very fast, and very sneaky… _

The next place I wanted to visit was the physics lab. When I arrived, I found Genocider Syo standing near the drying blood puddle.

“Someone moved the body while I was beddy-bye!”

Ignoring her, I first examined the mallet that lay on the ground.  _ Justice Hammer 4… It has blood on it. There’s no doubt that this is the murder weapon. _ Next, I surveyed the pile of blue tarps--surely the one that Ishimaru now lay on was from here. Finally, streaks of blood smeared from the larger pool, clearly made by wheels.  _ So Ishimaru-kun’s body was loaded onto the dolly with a tarp and then pushed into the art storage room. Seems pretty straight-forward. _

Satisfied with that explanation, I headed down the stairs, mulling over a related issue as I walked.  _ How did the culprit move Yamada-kun’s body? He’s way too massive to carry, and a dolly can’t be used to carry something up two flights of stairs… _

Arriving at the infirmary, I found Celes standing there.

“What are you investigating, Celes-san?”

“I wouldn’t really call it  _ investigating _ . I’ve been wandering around trying to find Hagakure-kun, seeing as he is our culprit. I’ve had no luck thus far. But let me ask you the same question: how is your investigation going?”

“I’ve been looking at all sorts of stuff, but one thing I can’t seem to figure out is the trick used to move Yamada-kun’s body. When he disappeared from the infirmary, weren’t you here with him?”

“Asahina-san and I did stay behind, but she wasn’t feeling well, so I escorted her to the restroom. We were together the whole time, and neither of us saw Yamada-kun get moved. We were really only gone for a few minutes…”

“Hm… So it only took a few minutes to move such a huge body?”

“I suppose.”

“Well… I’m not sure how the pieces fit together just yet, but thanks anyway, Celes-san.”

“Of course.”

She walked away, stepping primly around the massive spatter of blood in the center of the room. Once Celes was gone, I moved a little closer, hefting Justice Hammer 3 in my hand. There were a few drips of blood on its end, but they seemed disproportionate to how huge the stain on the floor was. Frowning, I set the mallet back down.

Setting that minor detail aside for now, I stepped past the fridge stocked with transfusion supplies, and lifted the lid off the trash can.  _ It’s always good to check things like this, I think… Ah, and I think it’s paid off. _ I bent at the waist to reach into the trash can and fish out a bit of square cloth.  _ It’s too small to be a handkerchief… It looks like a lens cloth. _ The cloth was decorated with an anime character I didn’t recognize, and wet with blood.

I shoved the cloth into my pocket, deciding that it must be important.  _ It was probably used to clean Yamada-kun’s glasses. They were bloody when we first discovered his body, and then clean when we found him again later… But what would be the point of doing that? _

“Naegi,” a voice said, and I looked over my shoulder to see Togami striding into the infirmary. “There you are. I’ve been looking for you. I wanted to repay your earlier favor.”

“Favor..?”

“You brought up a possibility that made this case far more interesting. So, here’s a hint. You should check out Hagakure’s room. Oh, and…” He dug in the pocket of his trousers for a moment before withdrawing a crumpled note. “Here. Take this.”

“Is this… the note from when Hagakure-kun said to gather at the cafeteria?”

“Good memory. You should hold onto that note. This whole case is a trap.”

“A trap?”

“I’ve repaid the favor now. See you later. Good luck.” And with that, he was striding away.

Following his advice, I entered Hagakure’s room, which was open.  _ Sorry for the invasion of privacy, but I think it’s necessary… _

Hagakure himself was nowhere to be found, but the room was full of talismans, fortune-telling accoutrement, and infographics about spirituality. Mostly, it was all beyond me, but a sheet of paper with a familiar-looking drawing on it caught my eye.

Strewn across Hagakure’s desk were sketches of Robo Justice, as well as a diagram of how to make a costume out of cardboard. There were scissors, glue, tape, staplers, and all manner of other materials to be used to create the Robo Justice cosplay. Perhaps the most significant clue in the middle of all of it was the notes scribbled in the margins of the plans.

I fumbled for the scrap of paper in my pocket and smoothed it out on the desk.  _ Hagakure-kun’s handwriting is so neat… But these plans for the Robo Justice costume are barely legible! It’s chicken-scratch. There’s no way these notes were written by the same person. _ I tucked my findings into my pocket as I left Hagakure’s room.  _ Could this evidence have been planted… to frame Hagakure-kun? _

“Naegi!” From seemingly nowhere, Asahina reached out and grabbed me by the wrist, then began tugging me towards the stairs. “Naegi, Naegi, we found Kirigiri-chan! And not just her, but Robo Justice, too!”

“Kirigiri-san!? Where is she? Is she alright?”

“C’mon!”

Hot on her heels, I ran down the hall and up the stairs, and Asahina led me to the pool. On the far side of it were Kirigiri, Celes, Togami, and-- _Robo Justice! That’s him!_ It was the tall, vibrantly-colored costume from the photo Celes had taken, and Kirigiri was poking around the back of it.  
“Kirigiri-san! You’re alright! And…”

“Don’t stare at me like that. It’s rude, eh?”

I blinked slowly. The voice from inside the Robo Justice costume was unmistakable.

“That’s… Hagakure-kun, isn’t it.”

“It is,” Kirigiri confirmed. “I found him stuffed into one of these tall lockers. He was fast asleep.”

“She kicked me!” he moaned. “She coulda woken me up in a nicer way, eh?”

“Where were you until now, Kirigiri-san? You disappeared.”

“I was just looking into something. It’s not important. We have better things to discuss.”

“But--”

“It’s. Not. Important,” she repeated flatly.

_ Does she not understand the situation? People are suspecting that she’s the traitor! _

“Anyway,” Kirigiri continued, “let’s hear what Hagakure-kun has to say. I’ve just found the latch to get him out of the costume.”

As Kirigiri set to work undoing the clasps at the back of the costume, Hagakure’s muffled voice began to speak: “I’m not really sure what happened. I fell asleep, and when I woke up, I was crammed into this suit and stuck in that locker. I didn’t have the mobility to get out of the locker while I was in the suit, and I couldn’t figure out how to take the damn thing off! I couldn’t even bend at the waist!”

There was a noisy click, and then Kirigiri had undone the latch at the back of the costume, and lifted the top half of it off of Hagakure.

“That was fastened very tightly,” she observed. “I don’t think it would have been possible to get out of the costume without someone’s help. He was certainly stuck in there.”

“He was really too stupid to even design a costume that he could get out of?” Celes asked.

“I didn’t design it!” Hagakure protested.

“Who else could’ve? It’s very obviously your size,” Asahina observed.

“If we turn that observation around,” Celes added, “then what that means is that the only person who could’ve worn this costume is Hagakure-kun. Certainly nobody else would fit into it quite right. Don’t play dumb, now. I found the plans for it in your bedroom. Togami-kun saw them as well, did he not?”

“I did.”

“So it’s just as we thought,” Asahina said. “Hagakure put on that costume and then went around hitting people on the head.”

“I didn’t do anything! I’ve been stuck in that stupid thing all morning, I swear! Will someone please explain to me what is happening!?”

“Hagakure-kun,” I said, deciding to take charge. “Ishimaru-kun and Yamada-kun are both dead.”

“Eh!? Two people!?” He paused then, seeming to contemplate something. “Well, then I think I know who the culprit is!”

“I guess it wouldn’t hurt to hear you out,” Kirigiri mused.

“Both Ishimaru-chi and Yamada-chi were after Alter Ego, eh? Which means! The culprit must be Fujisaki Chihiro-chi, working through Alter Ego by technomancy from beyond the grave!”

“...I was wrong. How disappointing,” said Kirigiri.

“Hagakure-kun, let’s leave the speculation for the trial. Can you tell us anything else about your situation? What happened before you woke up in the locker?”

“Well, when I went to bed last night, there was a note waiting for me. It said that there was a secret passage in the recreation room and we were all gonna escape from it, eh? But it would be bad if Monokuma saw us, so we were going to do it under cover of darkness. The note said not to talk about it to anyone, so we don’t get caught, and to meet at the rec room at one in the morning… But I guess it was all a lie, eh? I think that when I got there, I got drugged or something.”

“There are medicines in the infirmary that could be used to put someone to sleep,” Kirigiri said. “His story is…plausible.”

“You’re far too gullible, Hagakure,” Asahina said.

“Hey, when you’re locked up in a place like this for so long, you’ve gotta check it out. Even if it might be a lie, eh? Don’t say mean things to me--you should feel bad that I got deceived! I was taken advantage of!”

“I don’t even believe that. I still think you did it. You have money troubles, don’t you, Hagakure?”

“I’m telling you, this is a false accusation! Someone help!”

“If you wish to prove your innocence,” Celes sighed, “then you ought to go start looking for evidence. That is my suggestion.”

After a brief moment of panic, Hagakure dashed away without another word.

“I guess I should go back to guarding the crime scene. I asked Fukawa-chan--I mean… Genocider Syo--to take my place for a while. I’d better go before she and Sakura-chan get into a fight or something.” And so Asahina left the pool.

One by one, people filtered out, and then it was just me and Kirigiri standing beside a pile of discarded cardboard.

“Naegi-kun, it seems that I’m getting a late start on this investigation. Would you mind giving me a hand for the rest of it, so that I can use my time efficiently?”

“Sure, I don’t mind helping. But… if I do, can you promise me something?”

She arched an eyebrow at me.

“After the investigation is done, tell me the reason you disappeared for so long.”

Kirigiri blinked once, and then gave a swift reply. “No. I will not.” She began to walk away. “I still want your help. You don’t mind, do you?”

I started to protest, but at the backwards glance she threw over her shoulder, I sighed and said, “S...Sure.”

“You’re a lifesaver. Let’s go. First, I want to see the bodies.”

_ I never thought I’d hear a girl my age say a thing like that… _

As if sensing what I was thinking, she said, “Bodies cannot lie. Compared to the living, they’re far more reliable at leading us to the truth. Wouldn’t you agree?”

“I… wouldn’t really know.”

I led Kirigiri to the storage area at the back of the art room. As promised, Ogami and Asahina were there to stand guard. I watched Kirigiri’s expression closely as she entered the room, and for a moment, it almost seemed like a flicker of mourning passed over her features. But it was gone as quickly as it came, leaving me to wonder if I had just imagined it.

It felt uncomfortable to watch Kirigiri work. It seemed almost natural to her, to kneel by the corpses and touch them.

“Ah, here’s something,” she said. “Naegi-kun, you knew that Ishimaru-kun wears a watch on his left wrist, didn’t you?”

“Uh…”

“...I’ll take that as a  _ no _ . Anyway, have a look. The hands have stopped moving--it’s broken. It’s showing a time just past six o’clock. I suspect it got broken in his struggle with the killer.”

“What if it got broken before then?”

“Well, we know it was functional last night. Remember, he checked it when we all met up in the locker room. It was well past six p.m. when that happened, which means it could’ve only been broken at six this morning.”

“Oh. That’s pretty decisive then, isn’t it.”

“And another thing. Have a look at this.” She held up the torn corner of a scrap of paper. “He was holding this in his hand. It seems that he must’ve been clinging tightly to something, and then it was pulled away from him, but it got ripped. The piece that ripped off remained in his grip. And I believe that it came from this.” In her other hand, she held up another piece of paper--and the pattern on the tear clearly matched the scrap she’d found in Ishimaru’s hand.

“Where’d you get that one from?” I asked. “Was that also in Ishimaru-kun’s hand?”

“Of course it wasn’t,” Kirigiri replied. “It was in Yamada-kun’s underpants. He must have been trying to hide it.”

“You put your hand in his underpants?!”

She shrugged. “They’re just underpants. It’s not like I put my hands inside his socks. Read the note, Naegi-kun.”

_ I can’t understand her standards… Or maybe she’s just messing with me. _

I took the note from her and read it aloud: “ _ A secret passage has been discovered. We are going to escape through it as a group. Meet everyone in the physics lab at 6 a.m. and do not say anything to anyone--it would be bad if Monokuma found out. _ This is just like the note that Hagakure-kun described, but the time is different. So...whoever was trying to lure Hagakure-kun was probably also trying to lure Yamada-kun.”

“Not quite,” she said. “Remember, the corner of it was torn, and in Ishimaru-kun’s hand. I believe that the note was given to Ishimaru-kun, and then taken off his body when he died.”

As I was about to reply, the four-note bell rang through the school, and Monokuma’s voice filtered through the loudspeakers. “Fun, fun, fun! The trial is about to begin! It’s as brilliant as fireworks! Please proceed to the usual destination--it’s the coolest spot in school! See you soon!”

“Ah. Too bad,” Kirigiri said. “Our investigation has ended. But perhaps we have enough pieces of this case to put them together. Let’s go.”

Those of us remaining gathered in the elevator.

_ For our own sake… and for those who have died… we have to find the culprit who murdered Ishimaru-kun and Yamada-kun. And that culprit… is really one of the people in front of me. Ogami-san. Asahina-san. Celes-san. Togami-kun. Kirigiri-san. Hagakure-kun. Fukawa-san. _

I took a deep breath. The elevator began to move.

_ No turning back now. If we don’t get this right, we’ll never get to see the sun again. _

The elevator doors slid open--the doors of fate.

And what they opened onto was… A deadly deception… A deadly betrayal… A deadly riddle… A deadly defense… A deadly vindication… A deadly faith… A deadly class trial.

絶望

As we all took up our positions, Monokuma began his usual speech from the throne upon which he sat. “Let’s start with a simple explanation of the class trial. The results of the trial is determined by your own votes. If the correct culprit is chosen as the blackened, they alone will be punished. However, if the wrong person receives the majority vote, everyone  _ but _ the blackened will be punished, and the culprit who deceived everyone will be able to graduate from our prestigious private academy!”

“We already know who the culprit is,” Asahina declared.

At Monokuma’s inquisitive noise, Celes elaborated: “It’s the person who disappeared and has no alibi for any of the crimes. The person we found wearing that strange costume. Hagakure Yasuhiro-kun…”

“I told you,” he protested, “it’s a big mistake! I was drugged!”

“Shut your mouth, you murdering bastard!” Syo exclaimed.

“You of all people can’t say that to me!”

“Hagakure-kun,” Celes said. “I’m sorry, but there is too much evidence against you. We have all seen the plans you made to build the costume, and the box of materials used as well. They were all found in your room. You designed that costume specifically for your crime spree.”

“But… I don’t know! I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know!”

“Celes-san,” I said, pulling crumples notes out of my pocket. “The plans that we found in Hagakure-kun’s room don’t tell us the whole story. Have a look at this note from when Alter Ego first went missing. Hagakure-kun wrote to gather all of us in the cafeteria, and the handwriting is completely different! See?”

Kirigiri peered over the side of her podium to get a closer look. “I agree, Naegi-kun. It’s unimaginable that they were written by the same person. Hagakure-kun has very neat handwriting, but the plans for Robo Justice are barely legible. Good eye.”

“Naegi, are you saying that Hagakure isn’t the culprit?” asked Asahina.

“It’s not just Naegi,” Togami interrupted. “I’m thinking the same. Hagakure was undoubtedly the person in the Robo Justice costume, but Robo Justice has nothing to do with the crime.”

“Do you have proof?” Celes needled him. “If you want to declare Hagakure-kun innocent, you must have proof.”

“Of course I do, and it relates to the way that Ishimaru’s body was moved. Naegi, surely you figured this out--how was it done?”

“With… a dolly and a tarp… right?”

“As expected.” Togami smirked. “Elaborate on that, if you will, for the benefit of our  _ slower _ classmates. Go on. Tell them, Naegi.”

“Um… Okay, so, when we found Ishimaru-kun’s body, which disappeared from the physics lab, at the art storage room, his body was laid on top of a tarp. That tarp was probably taken from the pile of blue tarps in the physics lab. When the culprit carried Ishimaru-kun’s body from the physics lab, they must have wrapped it in that tarp. Probably to avoid spilling blood, or just to make it easier to transport. And that dolly--I’m sure it was near Ishimaru-kun’s body when we found him in the physics lab the first time. When the body disappeared, the dolly disappeared with it. That dolly was then found alongside Ishimaru-kun’s body in the art room.”

“So, to summarize,” sighed Celes, “you want to say that the body was moved using the dolly. But don’t you think you may be misremembering? When you first found Ishimaru-kun’s body at the physics lab, isn’t it possible that the dolly was not there to begin with? That kind of dolly is often used to move sculptures around is it not? So it seems that it would be far more natural to find a dolly in the art room storage--which is where it ended up. Could you not be imagining that the dolly started in the physics lab?”

“She has a fair point, Naegi,” Togami goaded me. “Are you going to let her steer the conversation like this?”

“Don’t worry, Naegi-kun,” Celes said. “Nobody is really expecting much from you. It is very clear to all of us that you aren’t the brightest character around.” She gave me a smile that held no warmth to it whatsoever, her hands folded politely in front of her.

_ She really just said that to my face. _

“If you want proof that the dolly was used,” I said grouchily, “then how about the blood on the wheels? The dolly left tracks through the bloodstain on the physics lab floor, and some of that blood was still stuck to the wheel when I found it in the art room. There’s your proof.”

“Hm… I see…”

“Anyway,” Togami continued, “all this discussion of the dolly is complementary to my true point: that Robo Justice isn’t the criminal in this case. Do you remember what Hagakure said earlier? That he couldn’t bend down while he was stuck in that costume?”

“That’s true,” Hagakure gasped. “I did say that! ‘Cause I couldn’t bend at the waist at all.”

“I get what Togami-kun is saying,” I realized. “The dolly didn’t have a handle. You’d have to stoop down to push it, but if the costume doesn’t bend at the waist, you couldn’t do that. Hagakure-kun couldn’t have moved that body--and why would an innocent person try to hide evidence? It’s pretty safe to assume that the killer is the one who moved the bodies.”

“Additionally, it would have been exceedingly difficult to wrap the body in the tarp,” added Togami.

“The clasp on the back would’ve made it impossible for him to take the costume off for that purpose as well,” Kirigiri remarked.

“That’s true too! I tried really hard to get out of the costume, but I was locked in tight.” Hagakure shook his head, as if disdainful of whoever designed such a shoddy costume.

“Maybe there’s a trick to it?” Asahina suggested. “Like, it’s actually really easy to take off as long as you know how to do it, and Kirigiri-chan just didn’t find the right switch or something.”

“But if he could remove it on his own, why wouldn’t he take it off before we all found him wearing it?” I asked. “What reason would he have to pull everyone’s suspicions towards him?”

“That’s… a good point.”

“This all means that the culprit who carried the body could not have been Hagakure wearing the Robo Justice costume,” Ogami said in summation.

“Aren’t you all forgetting something?” Celes inquired, and there was thinly-veiled irritation in her voice. “I took a photo. You all saw it: Yamada-kun being carried away by that suspicious person. If Robo Justice isn’t the culprit, what was that all about? Furthermore, right before he died, Yamada-kun said that Robo Justice was the one who attacked him. He said that in the library. There can be no question that Hagakure-kun is the culprit.”

“She’s right that Yamada said it was Robo Justice,” Asahina recalled. “It’s gotta be him after all.”

“It’s too early to come to that conclusion,” Kirigiri said, tapping her chin with gloved fingers. “Let’s discuss other possibilities first. Instead of looking at it from this single point of view, let’s try a different perspective.”

“But what should we do, concretely speaking?” Ogami asked.

“Let’s summarize everything that happened from the very beginning. We may discover something new.”

“Very well.” Ogami nodded as she launched into a summary. “It all started this morning. Four people gathered in the cafeteria: myself, Naegi, Asahina, and Kirigiri. We waited, but nobody else showed up. We decided to go searching for the others at around eight o’clock.”

“Right after we split up, Kirigiri-chan went missing,” Asahina chimed in.

“A short while later, Asahina found Celes at the third floor recreation room, and called Naegi and me there.”

“I lost consciousness for about one hour after being assaulted by that suspicious person Robo Justice. That is, the time I was attacked was about an hour before you discovered me… Around seven o’clock. Luckily, I managed to snap a photo of the assailant as he dragged Yamada-kun away.”

“We started looking for Robo Justice,” Ogami continued. “We ran into Fukawa and Togami. We then found Yamada wounded at the second floor library. We took him to the first floor infirmary, and restarted our search for Robo Justice. Celes spotted him at the end of the hall, at the top of the stairs.”

I spoke up to help with the summary: “We decided to split up to search the second floor, where Celes-san said she saw him. Then she spotted him again. She said he was running up the stairs to the third floor and turned left, but right as she said that, we heard Yamada-kun scream from downstairs. So we split up  _ again _ . Me, Celes-san, and Asahina-san returned to the first floor infirmary while Ogami-san, Togami-kun, and Fukawa-san chased the suspicious person on the third floor. When we arrived at the infirmary, we found Yamada-kun’s dead body lying on the floor. That’s when the body discovery announcement was broadcast throughout the school.”

“Just a moment,” Ogami interjected. “At the time that you were discovering Yamada’s body, the rest of us were discovering Ishimaru’s body in the physics lab. We must have found the bodies around the same time, because we also heard that body discovery announcement immediately after we found Ishimaru’s body.”

“Right. Two bodies, one body discovery announcement,” I recalled. “I told Ogami-san and Togami-kun that Yamada-kun was killed, and the three of us went back to the infirmary. But Celes-san told us that she and Asahina-san had gone to use the restroom for just two minutes, and in that time, Yamada-kun’s body had disappeared.”

“We hurried back to the infirmary, but Yamada-kun wasn’t there anymore,” Ogami said. “After that, we realized we left Fukawa unconscious at the lab, so we hurried back there. Ishimaru’s body disappeared during that time as well, so we embarked on a search for the two missing bodies.”

“When I first checked the art storage room, it was locked…”

“But then, the door apparently was unlocked,” Togami jumped in. “Celes found the bodies there. Yamada briefly regained consciousness--just long enough to spout something nonsensical--and then died again. And that was when the second body discovery announcement played.”

“And that’s how things went.” I breathed a sigh.  _ It sure is a complicated series of events… _

“I see.” Kirigiri looked thoughtful. “If we think of this as a simple chain of murders, we will make little progress. Let’s stop thinking of it as a single continuing incident, and start thinking about each case separately. That’s how we’ll find contradictions. Let’s start with Ishimaru-kun’s death. When did that occur?”

“The order is totally clear,” Asahina said. “Ishimaru died second. We know because of the Justice Hammers. Number one was used to non-fatally wound Celes-chan in the rec room. Number two was used to non-fatally wound Yamada in the library. Number three was used to kill Yamada in the infirmary. Number four was used to kill Ishimaru in the physics lab. Easy.”

“Hold on, Asahina-san,” I countered. “It’s possible that the order they were killed in is different from the numbers on the Justice Hammers. I’d even go as far as saying it might be something the culprit did on purpose to confuse us--deliberately using the hammers out of order.”

“If the Justice Hammer numbers are just a fabrication…” Togami pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and gave me an appraising look. “...then the true order of the murders was Ishimaru first and Yamada second. If that’s what you’re suggesting, Naegi, then show us some proof.”

“How about Ishimaru-kun’s broken wristwatch? The hands point to just after six o’clock. It probably got broken when he was attacked by the culprit.”

“Six was a long time before Yamada’s demise,” Ogami noted.

“Not only that, it was even a while before Celes-san was attacked just after seven.”

“That’s right.” Kirigiri gave me a single nod of approval. “Ishimaru-kun’s murder was the very first thing that happened. Justice Hammer 4 was the one used first.”

“We made a big mistake and completely misjudged the order of the murders,” I said.

“The culprit purposely numbered the weapons, and even went as far as making them larger every time… just to use them out of order and misdirect us. Clever.” Togami seemed almost  _ impressed _ by this.

“Furthermore, if Ishimaru-kun’s murder took place just after six this morning, then that means that none of us has an alibi anymore. That was before even the four of us gathered at the cafeteria,” Kirigiri concluded.

“I agree. That seems to be the case for Ishimaru’s murder,” said Ogami. “But for Yamada’s murder, our alibis still stand.”

“Sakura-chan is right. When we heard Yamada’s dying scream from the infirmary, everyone here except Hagakure and Kirigiri-chan were together.”

“It’s true!” screeched Genocider Syo, bouncing up and down on her toes in excitement. “I have a rock-solid alibi! I’m innocent!”

“Maybe that scream was recorded on a cassette and played back on a time delay, eh?” Hagakure suggested.

“Where exactly are there any cassettes here?”

“No clue.”

“Then don’t just say stupid things!”

“In any case,” Ogami said, soothing Asahina, “apart from Hagakure and Kirigiri, we all have strong alibis for when we heard Yamada scream. That means it was impossible for any of us who stood in that hallway to kill Yamada.”

“It isn’t just Yamada-kun’s murder that’s impossible for any of us. There’s also the disappearance of the bodies,” Celes reminded us. “When Yamada-kun’s body was removed from the infirmary, Asahina-san and I were at the restroom together, and everyone else was at the physics lab. Furthermore, when Ishimaru-kun’s body disappeared from the physics lab, we were all investigating the disappearance of Yamada-kun’s body downstairs.”

“And I missed all the fun because I was out cold on the floor,” Syo said, pouting.

“In short, it was impossible for anyone other than Hagakure-kun and Kirigiri-san, who were both nowhere to be found at that time.” Celes finished speaking with a gentle smile.

“If we continue to simply ask  _ who did it _ ,” Kirigiri said, “we’ll just keep going in circles forever. We shouldn’t bother with the  _ who _ right now. Let’s worry about the  _ how _ . In particular, let’s consider the way Yamada-kun’s body was moved.”

“His body disappeared during the single minute Celes-san and Asahina-san weren’t watching it. I don’t understand how anyone could move such a huge body from the first floor to the third floor in such a short time,” I admitted. “I’ve really thought hard about it, and I just can’t figure it out.”

“What if the body moved itself?” Kirigiri said.

“...Huh?”

“Ghosts again!?” Hagakure moaned. “No, please!”

“Not ghosts, you fool,” Togami scoffed. “What that woman is trying to say is that Yamada--whom we all thought to be dead--was in fact still alive. He got up of his own volition and walked away from the scene. When we first found him, he was simply playing dead.”

“That is impossible,” Celes said, her brows furrowed. “He must have been well and truly dead. The body discovery announcement played when we found his corpse.”

“Is that so?” Kirigiri wondered, making pointed eye contact with me and arching an eyebrow. “I wasn’t there in person, so perhaps someone else will have to chime in here, but… wasn’t that announcement actually played in response to the discovery of something else?”

“I see what you’re saying, Kirigiri-san.” I nodded at her. “It was at the same time that the others found Ishimaru-kun’s body. We  _ know _ he was already dead--killed around six o’clock. So… we made yet another mistake, didn’t we? We mistook Ishimaru-kun’s body discovery announcement for Yamada-kun’s…”

“If two bodies were found, we should have heard two announcements,” Togami agreed.

“Monokuma probably just got lazy and consolidated two into one,” Celes suggested.

“Ooh, this seems like a sensitive matter right about now,” said Monokuma. “Let me say this: my body discovery announcement is made the first time a dead body is discovered by three or more people.”

“That’s not an answer, eh?”

“No, that was a perfect answer,” Togami countered. “The announcement is made  _ the first time _ a dead body is discovered. That means that if a single body is discovered several times, there will only be one announcement. And a body discovery announcement played after Yamada said his final words in the art repository room--several minutes after the announcement that played when Ishimaru’s body was found.”

“So when we first found Yamada in the infirmary, he wasn’t yet dead. And the first time we truly discovered his body was in the art room,” finished Ogami.

“Ah--that makes sense!” I exclaimed suddenly. “It makes sense that Yamada-kun got up on his own. When we first saw him in the infirmary and assumed he was dead, there was blood all over his glasses. When we found him the second time, in the art room, his glasses were clean, and I found a bloody lens cloth in a trash can in the infirmary. He must have wiped his glasses so that he could see where he was going.”

“So it really was Yamada-chi?!”

“And that,” Kirigiri verified, “leads us back to the conclusion that Yamada-kun was still alive when you found him at the infirmary. He played dead, waited for us to be gone, and then walked out of the infirmary on his own. That makes his body’s disappearance very possible, doesn’t it?”

“What about all the blood?” Asahina asked. “There was so much. How could he have possibly walked up three flights of stairs with such a grave injury?”

“Did you stop to inspect his head wound?” Kirigiri pointed out. “There are numerous blood bags in a refrigerator in the infirmary, aren’t there? They’re for blood transfusions.”

“Clumsy Hifumin dumped more blood on himself than he could handle,” cackled Syo. “What a silly blockhead!”

Kirigiri ignored her. “In addition, if Yamada-kun was still alive, then it’s easy to explain Ishimaru-kun’s disappearance as well.”

“Yamada took advantage of the fact that we were all gathered back at the infirmary, and carried Ishimaru’s body away from the physics lab,” Togami said.

“That explains why the art storage room was locked and then unlocked,” I realized.

“Mako-chin, what are you talking about now?” Syo asked.

“That’s not my… You know what? Never mind.”

“Sakura-chan and Naegi and I checked that art room door. It was definitely locked,” Asahina said. “Then we all left for a while, and the door suddenly became unlocked.”

“Additionally, that door can only be locked from the inside. It must have been Yamada-kun,” I decided.

“All this to say,” Kirigiri said with finality, “that Yamada-kun isn’t a simple victim. He is involved in this case as a perpetrator.”

There was a moment of silence before Asahina exploded: “But that doesn’t make any sense! If he was the one moving bodies around, then who’s the killer!? Even if Yamada killed Ishimaru, he certainly didn’t kill himself! I don’t buy this.”

“You don’t believe me? Very well. There’s more evidence of his involvement. Naegi-kun, do you remember what Yamada-kun took off the body of the true victim--Ishimaru-kun?”

“There was a note hidden in his--uh… Well, Yamada-kun had a note that he had hidden. It was asking the receiver to meet in the physics lab at six in the morning. That’s the time and place that Ishimaru-kun died.”

“It’s just like the one someone sent to me, eh?” Hagakure’s eyes were wide. “Except that mine said to meet in the rec room at one.”

“The culprit sent a note to Ishimaru-kun and Hagakure-kun to lure them,” I explained. “After Ishimaru-kun was killed, Yamada-kun took the note from him to remove the evidence. Hagakure-kun was incapacitated--drugged, most likely, with something from the infirmary--and his note was taken as well.”

“So Kiyo-tan was the one who received the note, and Hifumin sent it? I see, I see!”

“And obviously, since he wanted to hide evidence, that means Yamada-kun must have been involved,” Kirigiri concluded.

“Yamada-chi really was involved… That means he’s the culprit! He’s gotta still be alive, eh?!”

“No, Hagakure-kun. Remember, the body discovery announcement played after he said his final words,” I reminded him.

“The true culprit is surely the person who killed Yamada-kun,” Kirigiri said. “I’m certain that someone attacked him right after he transported Ishimaru-kun’s body. He was dying of his injuries--dying for real, this time--when he was rediscovered. That’s why he was able to say those final words that you’re all talking about.”

“None of us have alibis for that time,” Togami murmured. “We had all split up to search…”

“Sakura-chan and me went together! We can vouch for each other.”

“The stupid seal claims she’s innocent! Kyahaha!” laughed Syo.

“Hey!” demanded Asahina. “Who are you calling a stupid seal!?”

“Here’s something that bothers me,” Hagakure interrupted. “What was Yamada-chi killed with? Was it another Justice Hammer? The Monokuma File said the weapons were similar.”

“I’m shocked,” Togami said. “For the first time ever, you’ve demonstrated that you  _ do _ have something inside that head of yours.”

“Hey, I’ve got lots of things in there!”

“Hagakure has a point,” Ogami said. “There was no Justice Hammer at the scene of Yamada’s death.”

“How did the culprit manage to carry one of those hammers back and forth? I can’t think of any way,” Celes said. “They would have been spotted, certainly.”

“No, the weapon wasn’t a Justice Hammer,” I said, the answer dawning on me. “In the art repository room, there were still several mallets. All but one of them was dirty. The one that was clean was also wet--it had recently been washed. Maybe the culprit washed some blood off the mallet using the sink in the repository room.”

“A sculpting mallet fits the description,” Ogami mused.

“In fact,” I went on, “there were several mallets missing. I think they might have been painted over and that’s where the culprit got the so-called Justice Hammers.”

“So, Yamada carried Ishimaru’s body to the art room and then was killed with a hammer immediately afterwards. The person who killed him is our  _ blackened _ this time--Yamada’s accomplice, who ended up betraying him. Do I have this all right?” Togami’s tone told me that the question was rhetorical--there was no doubt.

“It sure would be strange to have an accomplice,” Celes pondered aloud. “According to the graduation rules, an accomplice has nothing to gain.”

“That’s the case if there’s one murder,” I agreed. “But it’s different when there’s two.”

“Two culprits kill two victims, and become accomplices for each other’s murders,” Togami rephrased.

“The blackened is the one who agreed to work with Yamada-kun on this plan,” said Kirigiri. “They wanted his help as an accomplice. So the person who killed Ishimaru-kun was most likely Yamada-kun. If he was made to kill first, he couldn’t back out of the plan and ruin it later. He was obligated to continue, or else he’d die. His partner probably said they’d kill someone else, and then the two of them--Yamada-kun and the other culprit--would graduate together.”

“By killing their accomplice at the end, the culprit eliminated the variable that was most dangerous to them,” Togami reasoned. “Yamada was no longer a risk. Betraying Yamada was likely a part of their plan from the very beginning. It’s all very clever, if you disregard the fact that they picked a buffoon like Yamada to be their partner. But then again, maybe a more intelligent individual would have realized that they were going to be betrayed.”

As Togami talked, I was paying more attention to someone else.  _ Kirigiri-san must have known from the very beginning that the two murders were carried out by different people. That’s why she encouraged us to look at it as two separate events instead of a chain. She’s really amazing, but… Maybe too amazing. Unnaturally good. What, exactly, is she hiding? _

“So now we know,” Ogami said. “We’ve figured out that the existence of an accomplice is not just possible, but probable. So… who is it?”

“The true culprit,” I murmured, and a few people turned to look at me.  _ The one who manipulated Yamada-kun, made the events look like a serial murder, and then betrayed and killed him… There’s one person here who stands out as suspicious above all the rest. And as much as I’d like to say I’m surprised… I’m not. There’s a reason she’s called the Queen of Liars. _ “Celes-san. It’s you, right?”

Her eyebrows ticked upwards a little, but otherwise her expression did not change. A delicate hand rose to her face, painted fingernails touching her lips lightly. “Oh my… You suspect me? Heheh. I do hate practical jokes like this…”

“I don’t believe Naegi was joking,” Togami snapped hotly.

After a pause, Celes folded her arms. “Fine. Are you saying that I worked together with Yamada-kun? Choosing to work with someone like that… I’m insulted… that you’d think…” Her voice grew more and more strained as she spoke, and that signature accent--European in origin, according to her--had started to slip. “You really think--?! You think that  _ I _ , Celestia Ludenberg, would choose to work with a lazy, good-for-nothing sack of useless shit like Yamada!? Are you fucking kidding me!?” Her voice had risen to a shout, and I resisted the urge to step back, sure that my eyes must be as wide as dinner plates. She was breathing heavily, but then she cleared her throat and schooled her face into its practiced neutrality. “Ahem. Pardonnez-moi,” she coughed, and her accent was back in place. “I do beg your pardon. But you can see how being a murder suspect might put me a little on edge.”

Togami spoke next. “Be warned, Celes, I have evidence that it was you. There was a certain behavior that you and your partner both exhibited…”

“That’s right,” I said, trying not to let my fear of her show in my voice. “Something unique to just the two of you. Both you and Yamada-kun were the only two people who ever spotted Robo Justice. Nobody else ever saw him.”

“You interrupted my speech, Naegi.”

“Sorry.”

“Nevermind. You’re right, after all.” Togami turned to Celes once again. “The only two people who witnessed that suspicious person were Yamada and Celes. If Yamada is one of the culprits, it’s just natural to also suspect Celes’ testimony on that matter. Especially since we know that the ‘real’ Robo Justice was fast asleep in a locker by the pool. You were lying.”

“We ran from floor to floor following Celes’ apparent sightings of the villain,” Ogami recalled. “Her and Yamada both kept shouting that they’d seen him… But nobody else witnessed Robo Justice.”

“After we took Yamada to the infirmary, we split up to search,” Togami elaborated. “Celes told us that Robo Justice was at the top of the stairs, so we followed her words up to the second floor. Then, she screamed, and claimed to have seen him again. But that scream… it wasn’t a scream of fright. She was signalling to her partner that it was his turn to act. He screamed as well, and so we split into two groups. One group found Ishimaru, and the other found Yamada.”

“Was all that… just to make us find the bodies at the same time?” Asahina gasped.

“If you recall, splitting up  _ was _ Celes’ idea,” Togami pointed out. “Yamada and Celes worked together. Their plan was very intricate. Everything seemed to be mere coincidence--but that was by design. Well done, Celes. But not well enough. We’ve caught you.”

“When we found Yamada-kun’s body in the infirmary, it was Celes-san who said he was dead,” I remembered. “She was trying to convince us his death was real.”

“I… I can’t believe it… Everything Celes-chan did was an act?” Asahina said, but the shock in her voice seemed to be fading, replaced with anger and hurt. “You know… Celes-chan and I were supposed to wait by Yamada’s body for the rest of you, but… I wasn’t feeling well. Celes-chan…  _ insisted _ that we go to the restroom…”

“Surely to allow Yamada the freedom to leave,” Togami remarked. “Disappointing that it took you this long to figure that out. She wasn’t concerned about  _ you _ . She was concerned about the plan. Further, Celes said something  _ incredibly _ strange. A conclusive blunder. When I first heard it, it caught my attention, but I brushed it aside. Now I realize the significance. When we returned to the infirmary after hearing about Yamada’s disappearance, Celes said that the killer was ‘enjoying himself’ and that we would ‘all end up dead, just like these guys.’ A very strange thing to say indeed.”

“That’s right,” I said, my mouth falling open. “How did I not realize..? Celes-san said  _ these guys _ \--plural--before we had a chance to tell her that Ishimaru-kun was dead. She had no way of knowing that, unless…”

“Unless she was the killer,” Togami finished.

As we came to our conclusion and triumphantly turned to look at Celes, I was mildly surprised to find that she was giggling. One hand over her mouth, her shoulders shaking with mirth, her eyes bright and sparkling.

“Hehehe… You all have such vivid imaginations, don’t you? But it’s all conjecture. What you need is rock-solid evidence--for example, a photograph. Such as the photo I took of Yamada-kun being dragged away by Robo Justice. If Hagakure-kun truly isn’t the culprit, then why on earth would he have abducted Yamada-kun? We have already established that Hagakure-kun is the only person capable of fitting into the costume.”

“It’s not a picture of the suspicious person carrying Yamada-kun away,” Kirigiri spoke up. “It’s the opposite. It’s Yamada-kun carrying the suspicious person.”

“Once again, what a wonderful imagination,” Celes tittered. “What a foolish thing to say…”

“I don’t see how it’s foolish…” Kirigiri said, an eyebrow arched.

“Oh, you don’t see?” Celes asked, batting her eyelashes and leaning forward, tilting her head at Kirigiri like one might do when speaking to a child. “If you don’t understand, then  _ shut your mouth _ and allow me to educate you.” She smiled with closed lips, a frigidity to her stare. “If Hagakure-kun was unconscious inside the costume, he couldn’t have possibly maintained that pose. He was upright, standing. Does a sleeping person stand?”

Kirigiri smirked, unfazed. “Remember, the costume is rigid. It doesn’t bend at the waist. So, as long as Hagakure-kun is unconscious inside it, you’d just have to prop the costume up and it would stay upright. Yamada-kun, in this photo, is bearing the weight of the costume on his body. It wasn’t faulty design that disallowed the costume to bend--it was for the exact purpose of faking that photo.”

Celes wasn’t laughing anymore. In fact, she was gripping her podium with white knuckles, an expression of anger and desperation on her face.

“It appears,” Togami said coolly, “that we have a checkmate.”

“Checkmate..?” Celes echoed weakly. And then suddenly, she was screaming at the top of her lungs, and any trace of her accent was gone. “Don’t fuck with me, you pieces of shit! You’re nowhere near a checkmate! You keep trying to put the blame on  _ me _ \--cram  _ me _ into your little ‘guilty’ box--but you’re all making a  _ massive _ mistake. Aren’t you forgetting something? Yamada-kun said something pretty fucking important just before he died! When asked the identity of the culprit, he answered very clearly, did he not? He said the culprit was  _ Yasuhiro _ . And that means the culprit is fucking Hagakure Yasuhiro!”

“Here’s a question,” Kirigiri said, unruffled by Celes’ wild eyes and heaving body. “When Yamada-kun said  _ Yasuhiro _ , did he truly mean Hagakure-kun?”

“What are you fucking talking about, you stupid bitch!? What the fuck  _ else _ could he have meant?!”

“Here’s what she means, Celes-san,” I said loudly. “When Yamada-kun talked, he always referred to people in a specific way. He called me  _ Naegi Makoto-dono. _ Kirigiri-san was  _ Kirigiri Kyouko-dono _ . Hagakure-kun  _ should _ have been  _ Hagakure Yasuhiro-dono _ . Yamada-kun always used our family names first, not our given names!”

“So he dropped the formalities this once. Big fucking deal,” Celes snarled.

“A one-time coincidence sure would be convenient for you, wouldn’t it?” Kirigiri said. “I don’t believe that, though. I think he was going to say the culprit’s full name, family name first, just like he always did. However, he was on death’s door, and was unable to complete the name.”

“So the person he tried to accuse was someone whose last name is Yasuhiro,” I finished for her. “And, Celes-san… From the very beginning, you’re the only person who still refuses to tell us their name. It could very well be Yasuhiro.”

“Yasuhiro is a  _ loser’s _ name,” Celes panted, spittle flying from her ruby-painted lips. “Do I  _ look _ like a  _ loser _ to you?!”

“At the moment? Yes, very much so,” Togami quipped.

“You’re out of your goddamned mind. Off with your fucking head! My  _ name _ is  _ Celestia Ludenberg, god damn it! _ Don’t--make me--repeat it--again!”

“Celes-san,” I barked, finding the strength to project my voice. “You insist on using this obviously-fake German name. But you’re  _ not _ German, nor French, even though you keep trying to convince us that you are. Your accent is fake. Your name is fake. You’re Japanese, just like the rest of us. So how about you show us your student ID, so we can see your full legal name?”

“My… what?”

“Your electronic student ID. Let’s see it.”

“Th-That’s… an invasion of privacy.”

There was a long silence. Celes’ heavy breathing was the only thing audible in the room. I closed my eyes. Then I finally spoke. “Celes-san. Can’t you tell the truth? Just once…”

There was a vacant sort of fear on her face, as if she were afraid of a storm visible in the distance. Something faraway, but still deadly. She was very very still, with only part of her moving--her eyes, which darted back and forth, flicking from face to face to face as she looked at all of us in turn. She seemed to deflate, almost, the rise and fall of her chest starting to slow.

“My nature is to never admit defeat, even when my king is put in danger,” she said quietly. Her “European” accent had gone, and not returned. “I suppose it’s my nature as the Super High School Level Gambler. Because you can always turn the game around.”

“Well, Celes-san. How about I go over this again from start to finish, and show you exactly where the pieces have fallen.” I cracked my knuckles and gave my speech. “The culprit, planning today’s murders, enlisted someone’s help. That person was Yamada-kun. By making him their accomplice, the series of events that transpired became possible. First, they invited Hagakure-kun to the recreation room at one in the morning last night. In order to frame him for the murders, they drugged him and then forced his unconscious body into the Robo Justice cosplay--which had been designed specifically to fit him. Yamada-kun acted as if he’d been caught by Robo Justice, and the culprit took a photo with a digital camera to create false evidence. Then, the two culprits stuffed Hagakure-kun into a poolside locker.

“Then, at six that morning, the culprits invited Ishimaru-kun to the physics lab. Yamada-kun killed him there, using Justice Hammer 4. By using the Justice Hammers out of order, the two killers wanted to confuse us about what order the murders occurred in.

“Next, the culprit and Yamada-kun faked their own assaults. They posed as victims, turning suspicion to Robo Justice. By faking two consecutive incidents, they tried to plant the preconception in our heads that the mysterious suspect was attacking people using larger hammers every time. Once they got us to believe that, we started looking for the culprit.

“We left Yamada-kun alone at the infirmary, just as he wanted. Using blood transfusion packs from the refrigerator and Justice Hammer 3, he played dead. We found him at the same time that Ishimaru-kun’s corpse was found, and the resulting body discovery announcement led us to believe that we had found Yamada-kun dead. Having tricked us, Yamada-kun left the infirmary and hid.

“While we all raced back to the infirmary to verify his disappearance, he snuck upstairs and moved Ishimaru-kun’s corpse to the art room. He locked the both of them in there. When he unlocked the door, his partner betrayed him, attacking him with yet another hammer, which they then cleaned and hid in plain sight.

“And the blackened culprit who planned such a cruel murder… It was Celestia Ludenberg. Sorry, Celes-san--you lose!”

“I… lose..?” she repeated. “I can’t remember the last time this has happened. I don’t like hearing that I’ve lost. Not as Celestia Ludenberg. Perhaps not even as Yasuhiro Taeko.”

“Yasuhiro Taeko… So, you’re admitting it?”

“I am not such a bad loser that I would degrade myself continuing to struggle after the score is settled. Monokuma-san, let’s begin this. Or, I suppose I should say, let’s end this.”

After we had locked in our votes, Monokuma gave us his customary congratulations, declaring the killer to be Yasuhiro Taeko-san.

“It is truly unfortunate. My mistake was relying on someone else as an accomplice. Yamada-kun just couldn’t handle it. My plan was brilliant.”

“So you are the one who proposed the idea to him, then?” Kirigiri confirmed. “How did you manage to convince him? I can’t believe he’d agree so easily to murder someone.”

“I stole something important. For the sake of the rest of you, I won’t name what I stole; I’d hate to cost you all a tool that could potentially save your lives. But I took something that both Ishimaru-kun and Yamada-kun were obsessed with, and I told Yamada-kun that Ishimaru-kun was the thief.”

“I appreciate your discretion regarding what was stolen. But Yamada-kun was really willing to kill Ishimaru-kun over a simple thievery?” Kirigiri pressed.

“No. The theft alone was not enough. I had to tell him a lie, of course. It wasn’t an extravagant one. I told him that not only had Ishimaru-kun stolen  _ that thing _ , but that he had blackmailed me into helping him by taking explicit photographs of me. Yamada-kun fancied himself my knight in shining armor, I suppose. He wanted to protect me. What a fool.”

“Ah. I see. So it wasn’t purely jealousy, but also a feeling of righteousness. Justice.” Kirigiri nodded slowly. “You really are a master of manipulating others.”

It looked like Celes might be about to reply to that, but Togami interrupted her with a question. “That robot costume… was it Yamada’s work?”

“Yes,” she sighed. “All I asked him for was something that can hide a face and a posture, but he felt the need to go overboard with that ridiculous thing. Agreeing to use it was another mistake on my part.”

“I have a question too,” Hagakure chimed in. “Out of everyone here, why did you choose  _ me _ as a scapegoat?”

Celes levelled him with a derisive look, and then said, “Because you’re stupid.”

“That’s it!?”

“That particular choice was made correctly,” she sniffed. “You acted your part better than I could have expected. I’m sure it wasn’t easy on your parents to raise you.”

“I think I’m seriously gonna cry.”

“My turn to ask something,” Ogami said. “When you told Yamada how the plan was to work, how did you explain the part about him playing dead? What did he believe was going to happen next?”

“I told him that when he was found again, he should say that he suffered near-fatal injuries but managed to survive. Then, while his death was being investigated, I would kill someone else, which would provide him an alibi. He completely believed me.”

“What a banal lie,” Togami groaned.

“It was perfect for his level of trust. He wasn’t a difficult person to convince of anything. He truly believed we were partners up until the moment that he died.”

“So you did plan to betray him from the beginning,” Ogami confirmed somberly.

“Of course. According to my plan, it was necessary for the person who played dead to really die later on.”

Asahina was clearly fighting back angry tears as she spat, “That’s awful! Do you really think so little of the lives of others?”

“I don’t think anything of it at all,” Celes said simply. “Other people are just a means to an end. If the way to win is by sacrificing other people, then I have no problem with that.”

“You sound just like Togami-chi, eh?”

“We’re quite different,” she replied, shaking her head. “In his case, it’s all for his own personal amusement. It’s not the same for me.”

“So then what  _ was _ your true motive? Was it the money?” Kirigiri asked, her voice neutral.

“Monokuma’s ten billion yen? It’s true that that is a considerable amount. But it’s not the only reason. The truth is that escape is the only thing that’s been occupying my mind since we were trapped in here.”

“But… didn’t you say that the only way to survive is to adapt?” Hagakure pointed out.

“You really fell for such an obvious lie?” Celes snapped, her fists clenched. “I could never stand this place. I couldn’t wait to get out! More than anyone else here, I was desperate to leave. More than anyone! To live here my entire life would mean abandoning my dream.”

“Your dream,” I repeated.  _ Just like Maizono-san. _

“Of course. The reason I got involved with the shadowy world of gambling and risked my life countless times to rob people of their fortunes… It was all for the sake of my dream.”

“What is that dream, Celes-san?” I pressed.

“To live in a castle.” She smiled serenely, as if fantasizing about it at this very moment.

“A castle..?”

“Yes. And I’d hire beautiful people from all around the world to be my servants. I’d dress them as vampires, and they’d obey my every command. That’s the elegant, decadent world that I deserve to live in. It’s the thought that gave me purpose. If I could add Monokuma’s ten billion yen to my own gambling fortune, I could finally achieve that dream. I very nearly made it… But I have no regrets. I continued chasing my dream until my final moment.”

“Are you kidding me?” demanded Asahina. “Sure, it all sounds very romantic. But you’d really kill two people--actually,  _ nine _ , if your plan worked, since the rest of us would be executed too--just to achieve it?”

“Trying to make me feel guilt is a waste of your time. I have never had a problem making victims of other people for my own benefit. That’s just the way I am. And if you can’t understand that, then you cannot hope to understand  _ me _ .”

“How are you so calm right now?” Asahina went on. “Don’t you get it--that you’re about to get killed? Why aren’t you scared?”

“Heheh. I pride myself on being an expert in telling lies. Not only to other people, but to my own self. Naturally I would be able to convince myself that I am unafraid of death. Besides, if I am to die… well, I’m sure that my death here will be quite romantic. Don’t you think? These big, elaborate executions are truly spectacular. Befitting of someone like me. So, no. I do not fear death. And if I am to be reincarnated, then I think that I should like to return as Marie Antoinette. Heheheh.”

Celes’ smile was so obviously fake in comparison to her usual practiced one.  _ She said that she’s even able to lie to herself. But… maybe that itself was her final lie. _

“Are you all done?” Monokuma groaned. “It’s time to begin, you know! Time for the punishment of our blackened--the Super High School Level Gambler herself, Yasuhiro Taeko! High spirits, everyone!”

“I have one final thing to do,” Celes said, and pulled something small and metal out of her pocket. There was a little tag that bore a number on it, and I recognized it quickly. Celes tossed it in a smooth underhanded arc, and Kirigiri caught it deftly, nodding once.

“This key…”

“It’s hope itself, isn’t it,” Celes said. “You will find the thing that I stole there. I do wish you all the best.”

“One final question.” Kirigiri tucked the precious key into the pocket of her leather jacket. “Yamada-kun’s dying words… I wasn’t there to hear them myself, but apparently what he said was your name.  _ Yasuhiro _ . How did he know?”

“Hm?”

“Your real name. Did you tell him your real name to earn his trust? That seems… unlikely.”

“Oh, no, of course I didn’t tell him that,” Celes replied. “Yasuhiro Taeko… What a pathetic name. The name of a commoner, born in a common city to a common family. How dull. I much prefer the air of mystery granted by  _ Celestia Ludenberg _ . I’ve confessed my true name now, to you, at the hour of my death. But to Yamada-kun? Definitely not.”

“So how did he know?”

Celes was silent for a moment, her face unreadable. “That is a good question. Perhaps Monokuma told him to humiliate me..?”

“My lips are sealed,” the bear teased.

“Well. No matter. It is time for me to go now. So, I bid you all farewell.” Celes gave us the warmest smile I’d ever seen her give, and extended a hand to Kirigiri, who quietly took it. They shook. “I do genuinely wish to see you all again, in another life perhaps. I’m sure we all could have been the best of friends.”

The handshake ended and Celes was led--willingly--through the courtroom and onto the killing floor. The room dimmed and went black, and when the lights came back on, Celes was standing atop a funeral pyre. Overhead, a banner billowed in a non-existent breeze:  _ The Burning of the Versailles Witch _ .

With a torch, Monokuma set the pile of tinder alight. Orange flames licked upwards, and Celes stood calmly in the center of the blaze, her ankles and wrists bound with rope to the mast at the center. Snow-white makeup began to melt off her face with the heat of the flames, and as it sizzled away, I was struck by how entirely  _ ordinary _ she truly looked without it. An average face, much like my own. A face like a thousand others.

The flames leapt higher and higher, and smoke curled upward, getting trapped and clinging to the ceiling of this black room in the belly of the school. Her expression was almost one of contentment, and I remembered what she had said.  _ She wants a unique death. Being burned at the stake… seems almost fitting. _

The sudden blare of a deafening klaxon made me clap my hands over my ears, and suddenly a fire truck was screaming into view, barreling through the courtroom and mowing down cardboard decorations stylized like a gothic town. Celes’ smile faltered for the briefest of moments, and then I averted my eyes as the fire truck plowed into her, sending her body flying through the air and extinguishing the funeral pyre with a violent hiss. I heard the sickening crunch as her body landed, but I didn’t look.

Monokuma’s hideous laughter drowned out the dying alarm of the fire engine.  _ So much for a special death, then. In the end, a car crash was the way she went out. There’s no more mundane a death than that. _

I felt the lighting in the room change and our view of the killing-floor was obstructed by a drawn curtain. I eased my eyes open, still smelling the smoke. And like that, it was over. Celes was gone.

“Oh dear,” Monokuma sighed. “What a mess. Once again, someone committed murder because they just couldn’t  _ bear _ the idea of severing their connection to the outside world. You should take your lives more seriously. You’re still young, you know! Good grief. How do you expect to bring hope to the next generation when you keep behaving like this? Ah, but no matter! I have a question for you.” He spun in place, and then pointed at Kirigiri with a clawed finger. “Celes-san gave you a key, didn’t she? What’s the key open?”

Kirigiri closed her eyes. “Ah. So you truly don’t know.”

“Of course not! I’m not a mind-reader, you know.”

“Well. Before I answer your question, I have one of my own.” She fixed Monokuma with an unwavering stare, her eyes cold and hard. “What did you do to me,” she asked flatly.

“Huh..?”

“I said:  _ what did you do to me _ . Answer the question.”

“W-Wow! My heart is thumping,” Monokuma crooned. “What, indeed! I think I’ll leave now. I hope you bastards continue to enjoy our fun school life! If you feel lonely, feel free to call me! I won’t answer, but you can try anyway! See you later!”

After that, Monokuma disappeared, leaving the rest of us to stand there and stew in our own despair. But truthfully, it wasn’t  _ all _ despair. There was a tiny glimmer of hope, in the form of the key that rested in Kirigiri’s pocket.

Together, we made our way back to the dormitory area. Standing outside the public bath, Kirigiri said, “Please go to the dining hall. I will join you soon. I’m going to check on you-know-what. Alone.”

“Why just you?” Togami asked.

“Isn’t it obvious?” She glanced pointedly at the security cameras mounted on the walls.

“That’s not what I mean. I’m asking why it has to be  _ you _ . You are the prime suspect for being a mole, after all.”

Kirigiri said nothing, so I jumped in.

“In that case, let me go with her.”

“Naegi…”

“Togami-kun, it’s fine. I’ll join her.”

He seemed frustrated. “...Fine. If we stand here and argue, it will only attract attention. Do as you please.” He stalked away in the direction of the dining hall.

The others joined him, and Kirigiri and I ducked into the public bath. She withdrew the key from her pocket and found the locker that it designated--the only one that was locked. She opened the door slowly, and inside was the familiar green glow of Alter Ego.

“Good morning,” it said. “I feel like it’s been ages since we last met!”

“Thank God,” Kirigiri breathed. “It hasn’t been harmed. That’s one thing to be thankful for.”

“I kept my promise to Celes-san, and stayed very quiet,” Alter Ego informed us. “Ah, and I’m almost finished decrypting the files on this hard drive. I may be done by tomorrow. I’m doing my best, so please just wait a little longer!”

Kirigiri typed back a quick reply, and then shut the locker. She seemed as if she was about to leave, but something in my posture gave her pause.  _ I suppose it’s obvious that I want to talk to her about something _ , I thought, as she raised an eyebrow at me expectantly.

“Please, Kirigiri-san. Tell me where you were this morning.”

“...Is this the reason you wanted to come with me to check on Alter Ego? So you could ask me that same question again? You don’t need to know the answer. Telling you right now would be… unnecessary.”

“Unnecessary? Kirigiri-san, I’m  _ worried _ about you!”

Her eyes widened ever so slightly. “You’re… worried… about me?”

“During most of the investigation this morning, you were gone and nobody knew where you were. We worried something bad might’ve happened to you. And then you just reappeared like nothing was wrong, and refused to give an explanation! I don’t know what to think, frankly.”

“So,” she said slowly, and her eyes narrowed. There was a hint of bitterness in her voice as she said, “You suspect me of being a traitor, then. Well, that’s--”

I cut her off. “Never.” I reached out and put a hand on her upper arm. She stiffened, looking down at my hand and then up at my face with surprise written all over her. “I… I choose to believe in you, Kirigiri-san.”

“You… believe in me?” she repeated, and her voice was soft and hoarse.

“Of course I do! It’s natural for friends to trust each other, isn’t it? I want to trust you. And… I want you to trust me too. That’s why I’m asking you to tell me where you were. We  _ are _ friends, aren’t we?”

She was silent. I watched the way her purple irises flitted back and forth as she looked me over with scrutiny. Trying to detect any hint of malice in the earnestness on my face.

Finally, she said, “...I understand. I guess… I’ll try trusting you a little too, then. I’ll tell you where I went and why.” She took a deep breath. “The boys’ restroom on the second floor. There’s no security camera in there, and there’s a utility closet at the back. The wall isn’t really a wall; it’s a door. I was in the secret room behind the false wall, perusing the files that I found there.”

絶望

That was the story that she told me. It was hard for me to believe. And so she told me to go investigate it for myself as she shut herself into her dorm room. That’s how I ended up walking into the normal-seeming utility closet at the back of the boys’ restroom on the second floor of the school.

And she was right. Pushing on the wall made it revolve, and I was able to step into a small musty room with a high bookshelf, packed with files. And on the oaken desk in the center of the room, several things. A graduation album labelled with my class’ number:  _ Class 78 _ . A student roster with sixteen names on it. A single sheet of paper that read  _ We must never leave this place _ . Reading it made my head spin. A haze fell over me. Like I was dream-walking. I was certain I’d read those words before.

A shadow moved. I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I felt the  _ whoosh _ of air as something swung down and struck me on the back of the head, and then I was unconscious.

絶望

When I woke up, I registered the dull ache that told me I’d been hit. I was alone on the cold concrete floor of the secret room. The shelves had been wiped bare, and everything was gone. The album, the roster, the note.

_ What the hell? _

I wandered back downstairs in a drunken stupor, the world seeming to wobble on its axis. I stopped at the bottom of the steps, the sound of an argument reaching my ears. I tottered not in the direction of the dorms, but in the direction of the sound, which emanated from the gymnasium to my left.

I stumbled through the trophy room and peeked in the door, where I saw an incredible sight: Ogami and Monokuma, face-to-face.

“Why are you resisting me,” Monokuma hissed. “This was not part of the deal.”

“I have reached a decision,” Ogami growled back. “I shall not flinch, nor grovel, nor avert my eyes any longer. I’ve made up my mind. I will resist.”

“And you haven’t forgotten what’ll happen to your family if you make this decision?”

“I haven’t forgotten. I’ve made my choice.”

Groggily, I retreated from the gym, tripping over myself as I made my clumsy way back down the hall to collapse into my bed.

_ What the hell was that about? I feel like there’s so many things happening at once… _

My addled mind couldn’t parse it all, and I dropped into sleep almost immediately.

PARTICIPANTS REMAINING: 07


End file.
